Incubus
by KenshinJin
Summary: Incubus (from Latin, incubare, to lie upon): 1. an evil spirit or demon that lies on women, seeking sexual intercourse; 2. a nightmare. How can something so wrong feel so good?
1. Disclaimers, Warnings, and Perks!

Tomoko-chan: Okay, I admit, I'm having an anime affair with Yu Yu Hakusho and Rurouni Kenshin...  
  
Jin: WHAT!?  
  
Kurama: You're breaking up with us!?  
  
Tomoko-chan: N-no! I just-  
  
Jin: How could you do this to us?  
  
Kurama: I fell in love with you!  
  
Jin: WE fell in love with you!  
  
Jin and Kurama: GUYS LIKE US JUST DON'T FALL OUT OF THE FREAKIN' SKY, YOU KNOW!!!  
  
Kenshin: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! *falls from the sky and lands to earth with a thunk. A long silence stretches. . .*  
  
Jin: *looks up hopefully* Beautiful, naked, big-boobed women don't just fall out of the sky, you know!  
  
Tomoko-chan: Uh-huh, right. Anyways, let's NOT make fun of 'Dogma' for a while now, shall we? I am not drifting apart from the Yu Yu Hakusho world for an eternity, but I must connect with my other love, my dearest Kenshin! This fan fic will probably be followed by other affairs, such as that of Sailor Moon, Cardcaptors, Outlaw Star, and Big-O. Of course, my number one favorites are Kenshin and YYH, and I'll most likely make more than one of those. I'm starting to think that all of my fan fics will be rated R, but only for the protection of young minds! *snicker* Most(or all) of my stories will have something to do with sex, love, some 'inappropriate' humor, language, alcohol or drug references, and stuff you just wouldn't want your little sister to read! I know I should have done this warning in my FIRST fan fic, but hey! Better late than never!  
  
On with the warnings, disclaimers, and other boring stuff you must read!  
  
I do not own Kenshin, or any other anime for that matter. If I did own Kenshin, we would be married, have fourteen children, and he'd be my own, personal sex bunny! Unfortunately, he's not, and I must live with that everyday! *SOB!* YEA, THANKS FOR BRINGING UP THE BAD MEMORIES!!  
  
Anywho, as for the warning thing, I'm not so sure where this fan fic will go. I do know that it will have strong love references, like cross-pairing, yaoi, shoujo ai (NOT shonen! Shonen is boy. This is girl.), and some other stuff I can't even think of at the moment. I may and probably will have lemons and limes in this fic. I am experimenting, here! If you are offended in any way with any of this stuff, TOO BAD! I DON'T CARE! It's your fault for not reading the warning! YOUR FAULT! ALL YOUR FAULT!!  
  
As always, comments, questions, tips, messages, notes, and otherwise constructive criticism thingies are welcome with open arms! But, I must scream, NO FLAMES! I accept death threats because they're funny, but NO FLAMES! Got that? I say it again, just in case. NOOOOOOO FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES!!!! It's your own damn fault you don't like my writing, and you can calmly explain that and offer tips to change it, but screaming vulgar curse words isn't going to make it all better! Calling it crap, or saying I'm worthless won't do anything either. I'll just keep writing because I'm probably a million miles away from yoooooooooou!!! MUA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!  
  
*cough cough* Yeah.  
  
Also, on a more positive note, I will be using the ideas offered to me through comments. In other words, if you think Kaoru should have sex then break up with Kenshin, make a comment, and I'll consider it. If you want Kenshin to become depressed and attempt suicide, comment on it, and I'll think about it. If you want flying monkeys and food from the sky come out of Aoshi's arse, then . . .  
  
I'll stare blankly, wish you hadn't commented on that, but still consider it.  
  
Um, I think that's it for now. I'll start writing soon, but in the mean time, read my other fic, Hair of Blood, Tears of Joy. That would make me do a little jig of happiness!  
  
So, let's review, kids!  
  
1. I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, or any other anime. Don't sue me, because I'll put this against you!  
  
2. I have rated this fan fic 'R' for many things, as listed above, and I'm not going to take responsibility for any weeping children saying mean Tomoko-chan wrote a dirty fan fic. I WARNED THEM! It's your fault if your kid's a pervert and ignores warnings!  
  
3. NOOOOOOO FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES!!! I think that sums it up.  
  
4. I will consider all comments and such as plot advances in this fan fic. That's just the kinda person I am.  
  
5. Read my other fan fic!  
  
Alrighty then! I guess I'll talk to you later, like when I update this thing or whatever. Ja ne! 


	2. Chapter 1: Bloody Roses

Tomoko-chan: Konnichiwa! If you haven't already read my warnings and disclaimers, I suggest you do so. I'm not wasting any of my time or money on stupid people who file law suits on me because they don't like my fan fic. And I'm definitely not going to explain all of those paragraphs of stuff here, so if you haven't read all that stuff, do it now! NOW, I SAY! This takes place in present time, Tokyo, Japan, for your information. It has come to my attention that people are 'pissed off' at me. Well, I hope this makes all of my 'loyal fans' *snicker* feel better, as this is the longest chapter I've ever written for any story. For everyone else, I don't really care. No offence, I pray. ^-^  
*****  
  
Even though they were on the twenty-sixth floor of the apartment building, the screams of the city echoed up to them. The honking cars and faint titter of human chit-chat intertwined with the passionate moans emanating from her throat. The white drapes shielded their naked bodies from the heat of the accusing, all-knowing sun. Kenshin knew, too. He knew this was wrong.  
"Ahh," A painful cry escaped her lips. Tears misted her blue eyes. Kenshin moved her ebony hair from her smooth, creamy face. He smiled at her. She opened her eyes, staring ever so innocently up at him and his hair of fire.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing," She hissed, a tear running down her cheek.  
"You're crying." Kenshin stated, catching the tear with his finger.  
"It. . . hurts." She closed her eyes again, three more tears fleeing her face. Kenshin smiled warmly, kissing her forehead and moving her slender frame up against his own. Her petite body squished against his hard chest muscles.  
"Don't worry," He explained tenderly. "It just takes a while because I'm so big."  
Her features widened in fear, and her eyes emptied out the last few tears within them. She wrapped her arms around his neck, ruffling his mane of crimson glory. He seemed so calm over this, it astonished her. Of course, she was a professional, in a way, but he was so loving, it was as if she had known him for twenty years instead of twenty minutes. She felt immeasurable trust in him.  
After another brief pressure within her and another wince of pain, she heard him hum in content. "I'm in!" He joked foolishly. Maybe he is a fool, she thought. Maybe I'm a fool, but then again, only fools get into heaven.  
Heaven.  
She wondered why she had used the word so loosely. There would be no heaven for her, not now, not ever. In a way, she was surrounded by devils. Men who wanted her for one night, one hour, ten minutes. It was always lust that followed her, never love. She could not afford to love. Yet, she felt the faintest glimpse of love within this man. Deep in her heart, she wept because he was only another devil, but she buried that thought and let him hold her. It wouldn't have mattered what she thought anyway. You can only hold off the incubus for so long until you get too tired to resist and have to let it through.  
Incubus.  
Now there was a word she could never overuse. Every night, every day, every moment, she was plagued but some kind of demon or another. They were always screaming at her. They were always trying to get in her pants. She hated them for that. She hated all of them. Men, they sickened her. She would not have held this job if her life wasn't on the line. Well, her drug life at least. She had met few men to love. Aoshi was no exception, though. He was a brother, therefore she was almost required to love him. But she did love him, none the less, and felt brief love for this man, so she let herself go, succumbing to the heat and smothering music and the man pounding hard above her. There was no joy, yet there was no sorrow. No, she corrected. There was sorrow, but no pain. No torture or suffering, but sorrow. Her world was a middle earth, lonely, calming, yet sad.  
She was stuck in Limbo for eternity.  
*****  
  
Coffee drizzled loudly in the heated pot, its warm aroma drifting to her. Her sweating, naked body heaved with the motion of her thick breaths as sun beams danced on her belly. Kenshin had opened the drapes, allowing the clean, innocent sun shine through after being held back for so long, like a child that was told he must wait to play on a jungle gym and was now finally set loose. The soft music was replaced by pop as Puffy Ami Yumi blared annoyingly on the stereo. She panted, looking down below her, and seeing a few speckles of blood dotting the cream sheets. He must have had to tear his way through, she thought, nearly horrified. The sight of blood did not frighten her, it almost humbled her, but the thought of him having to actually rip her open, it made her hot face go pale. She was not exactly small, so-  
"You're welcome to some coffee." His smiled glowed at her, warming her like a distant star. She smirked.  
"No. I'd better get going." She sat up, stretched in a cat-like manner, and draped her legs over the side of her bed. He was clad in a blue bathrobe, his wet, scarlet hair flowing graciously to his waist. He strode coolly to the bed stand and grasped his leather wallet.  
"Is twenty okay?" He inquired.  
"Oh, no. It was my pleasure." But then, the thought of bills, food, and other miscellaneous expenses popped into her mind. "On second thought, twenty will be fine." She pulled her revealing tank top over her head, her words muffled by the cloth. He closed his eyes, giving her a smile as smooth and clear as water. The bill crunched approvingly beneath her palm as he handed the money to her. "Thanks," she mumbled as she stuffed the dirty paper into her tight jeans, which she pulled over her legs and thighs at present. Kenshin's eye followed her long legs' cramped movements with awe. He walked into the kitchen, shaking the sight from his memory.  
"So," the faint sizzle of the hot coffee being poured into the porcelain mug was barely audible over his cheerful tone. "What's your name, anyways?"  
"Oh, um, it's Misao." She was scrambled by the question for a moment. Not a lot of people asked her that, because not a whole lot of people cared. Her ice-blue eyes darted around for a few seconds as she pushed on her scandalous black boots. Inside, she wished she could be like the prostitutes in the movies: clean, attractive, and a hint of sincerity in everything they did. Then again, she wished she wasn't a prostitute at all. Misao's jeans had food stains, and more than one blood stain. Her shirt was fraying from the harsh abuse of time, and her boots were scuffed and caked with mud. Her beautiful black hair which was once her pride and joy stank of the hands of so many men, and was tangled and matted with who knows what. Her face was as sweet as ever, though, and she tried so hard to keep the wrinkles of stress and lack of sleep plague it. Kenshin smiled that deep smile again, and his eyes closed.  
"Well, it was VERY nice to 'meet' you, Miss Misao."  
"Aha ha," she chuckled softly. "'Miss Misao.'"  
"Does that bother you?"  
"No, my father used to call me that. You just reminded me."  
"In any case," Kenshin placed the mug on a coaster and wrapped his arms around Misao's waist. "Whenever you need reminding, just come here. Or, I'll go find you. Okay?" He asked her with sweet child-like innocence, mixing the deepness of his violet eyes with that of her insecure, shallow blue ones. She looked away immediately, not used to people staring into her eyes. Her gaze sub-consciously turned to the table where Kenshin had set his mug, and was mortified inside to find it read 'DADDY' in dark blue, bold letters. Squirming uncomfortably in his arms, she pushed him away.  
"Thanks, but I need to go."  
"Alright. See you around, then?" He stood bewildered, wondering why she had broken the embrace. She nodded half-heartedly.  
"Right. Sure."  
Patting her pocket to make certain the bill was secure, she strode to the apartment's front door. She was tempted to look back at him and give him the privilege of seeing one of her rare smiles, but hesitated and decided against it. She had the door cracked open to a sliver, not sure whether to turn around and lock the red-haired stranger in a bone-crushing hug, slap him across the face, or just leave.  
She threw the door open and slammed it behind, infuriated with herself for no apparent reason at all.  
*****  
  
She's pretty, Kaoru thought humbly.  
The elevator door opened swiftly, and at first glance, Kaoru noticed she was a prostitute, but saw she was lovely as well. She had cropped hair with the strong black hue that resembled her own and icy blue eyes that froze your spine; the kind of eyes Kaoru had always wanted. The woman smiled softly, sleepiness and unhappiness falling from her face. She stepped into the elevator while Kaoru and Kenji stepped out. Kaoru squeezed Kenji's hand a little tighter as she walked out, her turquoise business suit swishing ever-so slightly at her hips. Kenji turned his head to look back at the strange young woman with ruffled hair and wrinkled clothing. His eyes shone like amethysts, making immediate reference to his father, but his hair was black like his mother, and just as smooth, shiny, and long. He smiled gleefully as he tugged his mother's suit and pointed at Misao.  
"Look, Mommy! It's the pretty lady! It's the pretty lady from my dream!" His young voice was high-pitched with excitement as he tugged frantically at the off-blue jacket. Kaoru nodded thoughtfully.  
"Yes, Kenji. She just might be." Her voice was soft and low so that the 'pretty lady' might not hear, but she did, and let out a muffled laugh. Misao pushed the button that would send her down to the first floor, and in a few seconds, she was gone. Kenji watched her go down, and his eyes drifted down with disappointment.  
"Come on, Kenji." Kaoru scolded gently. "We're almost home." She tugged his hand for him to follow, pulling the cuff of his green 'Inu-chan' long-sleeved T-shirt with it. His little feet along with his white 'Kuri' brand tennis shoes scurried in attempt to keep up with Mommy's big, grown- up steps. Kaoru tugged almost mercilessly on her only son's hand, trying to get in her home as soon as possible. Work was just. . . frustrating. It's as if she had the worst, most horrible clients in the history of lawyer- ship. It seemed as though no one she worked with had a life outside of lies, lust, sin, and malice, and she would to have any of that rub off on her and her family. She wished that people could just get along and make her life so much easier. Life had not been easy lately, that's for sure. Kenshin had lost his job, and what with Kenji going into first grade next year, they would need to buy uniforms and school supplies and even start setting him up for college. Kenji was a smart boy, more intelligent than most second graders, but he had this terrible little knack of getting in trouble and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was always getting stuck and trees, caught pulling hair, and loosing assignments. But Kaoru knew he was good, and knew that sooner or later, Kenji would mature and become the perfect son he was destined to be. As for her troubles with Kenshin, well. . .  
Kaoru didn't know what to do.  
She loved Kenshin dearly and would do anything for him. She tried to look pretty for him and satisfy him every other night, but he still seemed unhappy. He didn't have the same passion for her when they made love, and though she climaxed every time, he didn't. She moaned with pleasure every time, but he didn't. She lay there gasping, begging for more every time, but he didn't. He would trudge away for coffee or go out for a drink and hardly ever took a shower afterwards. She knew that he was satisfied when he showered, but when he didn't, she was frightened. Was he trying to keep his smell with her when he wasn't happy as a reminder not to drift away from their relationship?  
She didn't know. She couldn't have known.  
But she loved him, and would die to make him happy.  
After a while, she had begun to save up her extra money so she could buy a house for her family. A real house, not some cheap two-bedroom apartment with one bathroom, a cramped kitchen, and an insignificantly small living room in which they lived in now. She hated it here, in Tokyo. It made her sick to see that city, literally crawling with people and cheap- skate bastards who just wanted to wheedle some extra change out of you. She wanted to move to the United States, where she was sure it would be less crowded and certainly less expensive. Someplace desolate, yet charming, like Colorado. Yea, Colorado, she sighed within herself dreamily. That'll be the day when pigs fly out of her arse and make her gourmet French cuisine. Fumbling within her purse, she grasped her keys and pushed them into their proper slot.  
"We're home!" Kaoru yelled, siding Kenji through the door. He threw his backpack onto the ground and yelled out as well.  
"We're home, Daddy!" He mimicked loudly.  
Kenshin was in the master bedroom, putting the finishing touches on the bed he and Kaoru shared. He didn't want her to suspect anything, so he made the bed after one of his 'friends' came over and almost always searched the house for the knick-knacks that may have been left behind as well. Things like condom wrappers, Kenshin thought with a little bit of guilt. He fluffed the pillow and put on his be, innocent, smiling face. After a quick tug on his robe to make sure it did not fall and show his erected manhood from thinking of Misao, he made his way to the living room, preparing his mind with lies.  
"Hey there, you guys! You're early!" Kenshin hid his relief at the fact that time was on his side this afternoon. Just one more minute, if they had showed up one minute later, it could have been ruined. The love- making, the marriage, the life of his son, everything. He nearly shook with the thought of his life landing and shattering like a glass, ornamental plate. Kaoru flashed a fake smile.  
"Well, you know," She briefly covered Kenji's ears as she mouthed the curse "The Bitch let me off early today, for once." Kenji squirmed until her hands broke free, then ran into his room to rush onto the internet. Her smile was soft and genuine this time. "So, it looks like old Mr. Hayasaka is having troubles with his wife. I saw a prostitute in the hall. She was pretty, but only about sixteen. It makes me sad." Kaoru helped herself to the coffee intended for Misao. Kenshin shivered through a smile.  
"Only sixteen? Jeez."  
"Yea. What is this world coming too?" She sipped the coffee slowly. "Did you find a job today?" She raised an eyebrow over the rim of the cup. Kenshin nodded slightly.  
"Oh, I'm going in for an interview next week or so." Of course it was a lie. He had not searched for a job once all day. He was Misao the instant Kaoru left to the instant she got home. Only sixteen? His mind pondered with guilt, only sixteen? He had just made love to a sixteen-year-old? No, he argued to himself. He didn't make love to her; he fucked her. There was a difference. A big difference.  
"That's good. Hey, maybe we can go to that little amusement park with Kenji this weekend? You know, the one by the park?"  
"Oh, sure, that sounds great." Kenshin nodded a little doubtfully. He loved amusement parks, but hated roller coasters. And that was the part he questioned about Kenji being his son; he adored them. If given the opportunity, Kenji would probably choose to be on a roller coaster for eternity. It was like he was born on one. Kenshin was not sure why he hated them so. He didn't mind the speed, or the drops, or the height, or the turning and loops. He just felt. . . weird on them.  
"But since tonight is a Friday," She set down her coffee and slunk over to him smoothly with sex oozing from her motions. "Maybe we can send Kenji over to a friend's house, go out to dinner, and maybe. . . after that. . ." She tugged on his robe collar gently and brushed her lips against his very gently, letting it linger and making him want more. His eyes grew wide, looking into her brown orbs that seemed to fester with power. Her pupils looked alive and wild. Kenshin had never seen her look so strong.  
"Kaoru?" His statement cam out as a question.  
"I'll call Minako-chan." Kaoru hugged him close.  
"Kaoru. . ."  
"Tell her that Kenji can play with her little girl, Ami-chan."  
"Kaoru. . ."  
"We can go to that new restaurant on fourth, and while you pay the bill, I'll stop by the drug store and pick up some-"  
"Kaoru!"  
"What?" The dreamy, wild look was gone from her eyes in an instant.  
"I-" He was about to refuse her, turn her down. He didn't want her. He felt like he was stealing something from her. But the look she had, he wanted that to stay. He hugged he waist as well and brought her closer. Her happiness would have to cover all suspicion.  
"Kaoru." He bent his neck and kissed her, his tongue ravishing against hers. She closed her eyes and draped her slender arms around his neck, wrapping her leg around his own, pushing him harder into her, as if trying to swallow him. She felt the wall clash against her back as she struggled for support to keep her steady. She didn't want it to end.  
  
But just then. . .  
  
"Ew!" Kenji screeched, childish disgust in his voice. "You guys are gross! Get a room!" He clutched a sketchpad and a blinding, shiny new pencil as he stood there, his hair undone, his feet bare with the imprints of the sock still indented within his foot. His brow was furrowed in unhappiness, but had the slightest hint of curiosity and confusion within his bright eyes. Kaoru giggled like a school girl, her face going a bit red. Kenshin smiled sheepishly. Brushing away the fact that his parents had just made-out in front of him, Kenji tapped the toe of his shoe upon the carpet and let his gaze fall to the floor. "Am I going to see Ami-chan?" He asked as a few specks of color dotted his face.  
"If you want to."  
"I guess so," Kenji scratched the back of his head. "I did promise Ami-chan that I'd draw her something. I guess her house would be the best place to do it."  
"I guess it would be." Kenshin placed Kaoru gently on her feet and ruffled Kenji's hair. Kenji smirked, one eye looking up at his idol, his God, his father. Kenshin looked back seeing that though this child was his one and only son, the only reason he was standing here was because of some horrible mistake. They were so young when they had married, and what an anniversary it had been that year. . .  
"You're the coolest, Dad." Kenji looked up, his eyes overflowing with admiration.  
"Really? I'm sugoi? That's a first." He beamed with pride.  
"Come on, Kenji. Let's get your shoes on, and then we can go." Kaoru patted him on the back, making her way into Kenji's cluttered room filled with books, action figures, and dirty clothes.  
"Right." He scurried into his room, leaving Kenshin with one final look of love before he disappeared behind the door.  
Kenshin stood, not knowing what to do. A smile clung faintly to his face, hanging on for dear life. Within his mind, a dozen things were buzzing off at once, each screaming that they were more important than the others and had to be treated first. He had to deal with so many things before he got home that night. He knew Kaoru would want him afterwards, and sooner or later she would find out. But he didn't want this to end. He loved Kaoru, more than words could touch, and he always tried to be a good husband and father, but some things just can't be dealt with so lightly.  
So then, as he often did when in a crisis, nervous, or under stress, he did laundry.  
*****  
  
"What job are you going to be interviewed for?"  
Kenshin was caught off-guard, his mouth stuffed with salad. "Hm?"  
"I said, what job are you going in to be interviewed for? I want to know everything! The pay, the extras, the insurance, I just have to know!" Kaoru had abandoned her soup, letting the bay leaves float to the steamy top. Her eyes grew wide with interest as she waited not-so patiently and folded her hands. Kenshin had to restrain himself from gasping aloud as his face grew paper white in fear. For once, he did not know what to say. His mind had frozen over, and not a thing slipped through it.  
"Well, um, uh," Kenshin stuttered. "It's, um, I think that, er,"  
"What is it?" Kaoru grew suspicious, her brow become lined with rivulets of concern. Kenshin didn't know what to do.  
Easy way out. . .  
"I, um, wouldn't want to spoil the surprise, my little hana." He smiled calmly, but inside he feared he would soon have a heart attack. Kaoru's face softened.  
"Ooh! You're so mean!" She punched him playfully in the arm. "The check should be here soon. I'll go to the drugstore, pick up what we need," She winked. "Then come back and pick you up. Okay?"  
"Sound perfect." He answered, a little shaky. Kaoru stood, and leaned over to kiss him on the lips, but he turned away so she only got his cheek. Walking away and realizing that, she felt rejected in a way. He had been doing this for a while now, denying her kisses un-expectantly. A thought came to her mind. Am I not romantic enough? She shuddered, please no! In the car, instead of turning to the drug store, she turned to the flower shop, buying three dozen roses. Speeding back to the apartment, she dashed through the hallway, the occasional petal drifting away from her. Unlocking the door, she burst through it and ran to their bedroom after dropping her purse and coat. She began to strip the bed of the covers and sheets and every decorative pillow. Taking a few of the roses, she tore off the petals and scattered them on the bed sheets. When she was finished making the bed as fragrant and beautiful (in her eyes) as a rose, she noticed something among the sheets. It looked as if the rose had been bleeding, for speckles of red liquid dotted part of her side of the bed. She was confused; her period started in a week, but this blood looked almost new.  
New blood?  
Her head whirled for a moment, but she regained. No, she thought. Never! He would never! He loved her, and she loved him. He probably just cut himself earlier and some fell on the bed. Kaoru realized how lame and desperate that sounded.  
He loved her. . .  
He loved her. . .  
Right?  
Kaoru backed away in disgust, tears threatening her face.  
Right?  
*****  
  
Tomoko-chan: I know, I'm evil. I can't really understand why though. I just have this urge to make everyone in my stories comepletly miserable! AHAHAHAHAHA!! Now, if you HAD read my disclaimers and warnings and such (which everyone seems to hate) you would have realized that I do take comments and such, I also take suggestions on what should happen next in the story .If you have not read the last, er, thing, then it showed what a silly rabbit you are! Ja ne! 


	3. Chapter 2: Runaway

Tomoko-chan: Ahahahahaha!! The stuff I hear in comments! They are all very interesting and entertaining, don't get me wrong, but some of you people are just as mean to fan-fic characters as I am! I AM NOT ALONE! I have considered all of your suggestions strongly, and have decided. . .*drum roll*. . .TO USE ALL OF THEM! Or at least the ones I can remember. ^-^ They are all very good ideas! Very eeeeeeeeeviiiiiiil. I love them! So without further ado, I bring to you Chapter Two! (Hee hee, that rhymes!)  
*****  
  
"No. . ." Kaoru mumbled aloud. She felt her throat clench as she struggled helplessly for air. Her stomach seized her abdomen in a fit of quick, painful cramps of fear. Backing away slowly from the bed, she edged into the bathroom, walking backwards. She felt her back clash against the bathroom counter, and something crunched beneath her palm. Kaoru glanced through her eyes filled with cloudy tears, and saw that the foil substance under her hand was a condom wrapper. Her face her hot with rage as she rose the memory of the protection to her face, her other hand clamped over her mouth in fear that she would scream. Her eyebrows deepened into deep crevasses of anger. Slapping her other hand to the counter top and throwing the wrapper into the waste basket, she cursed.  
"That bastard. . ." She uttered harshly. "THAT BASTARD!"  
Wiping the tear from her coffee hued eyes, she ripped the hair tie from her head, allowing her flowing ebony silk down to her waist. She tore off her expensive, silk, deep scarlet dress adorned with black Rhine stones that she had worn just for him and threw it to the faded white tile which padded the floor. Staring at it, clad only in her soft, black panties and white cotton bra, she wanted to weep, but wanted to scream in frustration and anger. She withheld the urge to do both, and clenched her fists, leaving deep marks in her palm where her fingernails had dug.  
It was so fucking obvious. She realized suddenly what a fool she had been. I was so fucking naïve, so fucking clueless! Beating herself mentally, she stomped to the dresser, for once not caring what she looked like to the world. She pulled on a pink tank-top, which on any other day, she would have laughed before even thinking of such a thing. Kaoru took so much pride in her appearance, but it was all for Kenshin. Kenshin was over now. Kenshin was gone. Pulling on some grey sweatpants and white sandals, she got her keys, but had no intention whatsoever to go pick up Kenshin. She never wanted to see him again. She felt that if she did, she would vomit. No, she would go to see Minako-chan. Tell her about what happened, pick up Kenji, then. . .  
Then she didn't know what would happen.  
Stomping, panting, close to screaming, Kaoru fled down the stairs, thinking she might have broken the elevator in anger if she had tried to use it. She crawled into her black Sedan, slammed the door, and jammed the keys into the ignition. Instantly, Puffy Ami Yumi blared on her stereo. It cheered her slightly. Good ole' Puffy, she thought, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the beat. Always so happy. She drove quickly, harnessing her anger for later. If she had an accident, it could mean chaos.  
Pulling to a screeching halt in Minako's driveway, she got out, slammed the door again, shoved the keys into her pocket and stomped to the front door. Banging on it, but then realizing how late it must have been, Kaoru knocked. Minako and her head of short, mahogany hair popped into view. A soft smile escaped her lips.  
"Hi. You look like hell."  
"Hi, and thank-you." Kaoru slid by her, making her way to the living room where she was sure she would find Kenji snoozing on the couch or on the floor. But she was brought an abrupt halt by Minako.  
"What happened, Kaoru?"  
She stared into Minako's crisp, green eyes and looked away. What happened? She repeated to herself. Does she really want to know? There was so much Kaoru wanted to tell her. She wanted to spill everything, and scream it from the top of her lungs, but. . .  
"I'll tell you later. In the morning." Kaoru looked at her, trying to seem collected. Minako stared her down, looking at her top to bottom. Glaring with no trust in her eyes, she let Kaoru pass.  
Kenji was on the couch, but was on the line between consciousness and sleep. His eyes were almost closed, but still enough to perceive the new adventures of Pokemon which blared on the television. Ami was knocked out on the floor, a slick of drool dripping from the corner of her mouth into her deep, chestnut hair. Kaoru smiled, humbled by the sight. Kenji's eyes popped open as he sat up, his hair ruffled, and stared sleepily at her.  
"Hi, Oka-san." He rubbed his eyes, smiling. "You look different."  
"Really?" She leaned on the wall. "How so?"  
"Your clothes and hair. They're different. They're normal."  
"Oh? Is that good?"  
"Uh-huh." He nodded slowly. Kaoru jingled her keys,  
"Well, things are going to be a little different for a while, okay Kenji? We need to get home right away. There's a lot of stuff we need to do."  
Instead of questioning, Kenji began to gather his things. He had always been obedient like that. After tying his own shoes and putting his sweater on by himself, he walked over Ami, bent down on his knees and kissed her on the cheek. Kaoru cocked her head, puzzled. Kenji saw her eyes and softly explained.  
"Daddy does it to you, sometimes."  
Her heart froze as all of the anger and pain flooded back, burring her. She wiped her eyes again, just to be sure. "I need to talk to you in the car, Kenji. Let's hurry."  
"Okay, Mommy." He fumbled for his sketch pad and pencil and stood. Walking slowly and sloppily, his head drifting in and out of sleep, he staggered by his mother. Kaoru met up with Minako in the hall, and embraced her in a hug.  
"Thanks, Minako-chan."  
"No problem. He was an angel." She let her go, staring into her eyes again. "Please call me soon, Kaoru-chan."  
"I will." She nodded half-heartedly. Grasping Kenji's slender fingers, she led him to the door of the car, helped him in, then let herself in. Backing away from Miwako-chan's and steering the car onto the free way, a stunned silence stretched between the woman and the young boy. Kenji's eyes flickered wildly between mellow violet and deep indigo. Kaoru tried to keep her eyes on the road, but found it difficult. Kenji spoke up, feeling the tension with the sense that all little children have.  
"Mommy, what's wrong? Where is Daddy?"  
Kaoru found it hard to put the emotions to words, and then have to translate them in the way you should explain things to a little boy who would probably never see his father again without his mother and a probation worker watching them. "Kenji," She struggled. "Kenji, Daddy lied to Mommy. Daddy lied and hurt Mommy's feelings very badly. Mommy can not trust Daddy now, and probably never will. I don't think you will see Daddy for a long time now."  
Kenji took a moment to understand, filing through his mothers' words like one would with the pages of a book. "Daddy is a 'liar, liar, pants on fire'?" He asked innocently. Kaoru almost smiled. Almost.  
"I guess so, yes."  
"Does Mommy love Daddy anymore?"  
"Well," Kaoru hesitated again. "Mommy loves Daddy very much, but now, Mommy isn't very sure. I am angry at Daddy, and sad that he would do something like this to us."  
"What did he do?"  
"He," She tried to translate the real world into a mini, softer, child's edition. "He wanted someone else to be Mommy. He wanted someone Mommy couldn't be."  
"He wanted you to play pretend?"  
Yes, she thought. That's exactly what he wanted. He wanted me to pretend nothing happened. He wanted me to pretend I didn't notice, and that he was a perfect husband. He wanted to play, and he cheated too, but I caught him. And now the game is over, and it's my turn to play.  
"In a way, yes." Kaoru finally answered. "Now, Kenji, this may be very hard for you, but I need you to be a big boy for Mommy. Can you be a big boy?" He nodded, yes. "When we get home, I need you to go to your room, and after I give you some boxes, I need you to pack all of your clothes and toys and books. We can't go back to our house for a while." She looked at him. "Can you do that for Mommy?"  
He nodded yes, again.  
"Okay," she breathed, exasperated.  
Okay.  
She walked slowly with Kenji this time, allowing him to take his time and take it slowly, as if he might break. She was afraid she had hurt him. She knew the pain of having a broken family. When she was little, Kaoru's father was never home. He was always busy with something or another, leaving her mother alone everyday. She cried a lot, and so did Kaoru, but learned to be stronger. But was she strong enough to handle this?  
She closed their apartment door softly behind her, ushering Kenji to his room on her way to the closet. She with drew six large moving boxes which she had stored there when Kenji was just a baby. "Kaoru," Kenshin had said, "We'll never use those. It's a waste." She looked on that moment and laughed.  
She handed three boxes to Kenji, but was doubtful he would use one and a half. She would have to go through his things and make sure he packed enough. Kaoru was sure she would need most of the boxes. One for her clothes and hygiene supplies, one for kitchen utensils, a cordless phone, and other miscellaneous items, one for random knick-knacks of hers, and if possible, she would snag one of Kenji's boxes for thing like linen and health-care items in case of emergencies. She packed quickly and efficiently, and was finished before Kenji had even started. She decided to get her revenge.  
Pulling out her cellular phone, she dialed the home number of the apartment. She heard both rings, in the cell phone and in the living room, waited a few seconds, and heard Kenshin's voice recording on the answering machine, saying they weren't here at the moment (oh, we're here) and that they would reply their call soon. A lone, mono-tone beep stretched, and Kaoru spoke.  
"Hi there, Kenshin. If you are listening to this, then you can rest assured we both had a rough night. Of course, you suffered physically. I hope your stuck-up nose falls off because of frost bite; it was so high in the air with pride. I figured it out, Kenshin. Did you think I was that fucking stupid? Did you think I was that naïve? How long did you screw these bitches before feeling guilt? I guess it doesn't matter now. As you can see, me and Kenji are gone, and will be gone for a long time. I'll make sure he doesn't see his bastard of a father any time soon. Hey, Kenshin, check our joint account. I dare you. That's right, baby. Ten thousand dollars. All mine. I hope that job interview wasn't a lie. You're going to need it to feed your whore's little whelps. I'm going to file for divorce, so you don't need to worry about suing me, honey. I wouldn't want to worry your cute little head of red hair." Her voice grew thick with sarcasm. "I still can't get it. How could you do this to us? To me, your wife? And Kenji, your only son? Well, I'm not sure how many prostitutes you've knocked up, so I may be wrong. How could you? You dirty, unreconstructed whelp of a whore, how could you do this to your FAMILY!?" She screamed, spittle flying from her lips. She felt tears again. Sniffing slightly, she hid them with the palm of her hand; she hated crying. Kaoru hardly ever cried and never did it in another's presence. She could say no more to her husband. "Good bye, Kenshin, Good bye,"  
*****  
  
Fuck.  
"Fuck." Kenshin whispered. It was beyond cold. It was freezing. Every nine seconds, the wind would howl, unleashing flurry of fallen leaves and bit of trash in his direction, chilling him to the bone even through his thick coat. The screech of air would subside, and then begin all over again.  
He hurt, too. Ever since he and Misao had 'meet', there was a twitching pain down there. He had ignored it for a while, but now there was nothing to think about except the icy wind and the bubbling pain in his groin. Kaoru should have been here by now. . . The restaurant closed about half an hour ago, shooing him out quickly, but not quick enough as to forget their bill. He didn't have enough for a taxi, and the bus had not been seen for an hour. How was he supposed to get home? He wondered frantically, twitching from the pain in his crotch and the chill in his skin. Walk? Is that what she wanted him to do? Walk when it had taken fifteen minutes to DRIVE there? Screw that, his head murmured.  
"Fuck." Kenshin repeated bitterly. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" His little rage thermometer was climbing steadily from annoyed, to pissed. Kenshin rarely cursed, but he was far from ticked off, and that was usually his breaking point. But then, looking across the street through the teeny branches of the trees, he strained to see a dark, yet familiar figure.  
  
Speaking of fuck. . .  
"Misao? Is that you?"  
The figure raised her head in response.  
*****  
Misao didn't want to see Kenshin again. The sight of the 'daddy' mug shattered any affection for him. Besides, she added to herself, I just want to go home. It had been a hard day. This one thirty-year-old guy kept pushing the limits. He hurt her, and just wouldn't stop. He gave her a hundred, but she felt cheated. Wasn't she already in enough pain? Her crotch was throbbing, but luckily, she had made enough for her to buy some cocaine, and she soon forgot. Seeing Kenshin reminded her of everything.  
"Oh, hi." She spoke softly, quietly, almost shyly. She wiped her face, dismissing any stray flakes of the white powder beneath her nose. Kenshin's eyes darted across the street, searching for cars, and when he saw the barren street, he crossed to her. He waved childishly, smiling.  
"Why are you here?" Misao asked, almost cruelly.  
"I was having dinner with-" He stopped, for a moment. "Just having dinner by myself."  
"I see," she looked at the ground, unconvinced.  
"Hey, um," Kenshin scratched his head sheepishly. "Do you think I could get a ride or crash at your place or something? My ride ditched me." He tried to force a chuckle. Misao stared him down, her eyes freezing his mouth to a nervous smile.  
"You can stay at my house. I'd offer a ride, but it's my brother's car, and he doesn't like strangers driving his car alone."  
"He could just drop me off."  
"It's not wise to be with my brother alone for too long, especially if you," she paused, staring harder. "If you 'know' me. It would be better of you to stay with me, because you won't be alone. My brother worries about me too much."  
"Isn't that a good thing?"  
"Not if he almost killed someone trying to protect me." She stared at the ground again. Kenshin's nervous smile faded.  
"I see. You know, maybe I should get a hotel or something. . ."  
"No, it's okay. He won't hurt you. Just don't touch me in his presence."  
"Oh, um, sure. No prob." He tried to make her laugh. "I should touch you as much as I can now, then, shouldn't I?"  
Misao's face was blank as she brushed his hand away and walked ahead of him.  
*****  
"All done, Mommy!" Kenji chirped happily. Kaoru stopped stuffing the kitchen utensils into one of her card board boxes, and made her to Kenji's room. His bookshelves were bare, and the toy chest was empty. His dresser had a lone open drawer, which was barren inside. She sighed.  
"Go get your toothbrush and your favorite shampoo. Mommy's going to check."  
"I already did!" Kenji stood proud. "You can check it in front of me. I'm positively positive that I packed everything, and even if I DID forget something, I wouldn't get mad at you." Kaoru smiled.  
"Okay, let's see. . ." She rummaged through the box. "Underwear?" She held up an example, patterned with chibi dogs. Kenji giggled.  
"Check!"  
"How about. . .shirt and pants?" She held up his favorite T-shirt, and his not so favorite shorts. He still laughed.  
"Check!"  
"Toys and books?" She withdrew a battered copy of 'Chibi Usagi' and displayed it. Kenji smiled.  
"Check-a-roo!"  
"Wow, you even have stuff here that you don't need. Good job, Kenji!" She patted his head, mussing his coal-hued hair. He closed his eyes, and smiled just like Kenshin. Kaoru pulled her hand back, almost disgusted at the sight. Tears welded up in the corner of her eyes, and soon, she was kneeling on the floor and hiding her face as she wept. Kenji's smile faded slowly in realization.  
"Mama? Mama, what's wrong?"  
Kaoru cried and wrapped her arms around Kenji's waist, hugging him closer. She wept into his T-shirt, her tears staining it with dark water spots. "Why, Kenji?" She screamed, wishing that she could just know why. "Why did he do this to his family?" Squeezing him tighter to her face, her screams came out muffled and thick. Kenji looked down on his mother, crying in his arms.  
Then, Kenji slunk down to his knees and cried with her.  
*****  
"Here we go." Kaoru shoved the keys into the ignition. "Ready, private?"  
Kenji grinned. It was a game they played. He adjusted imaginary goggles. "Ready for take-off, mother bird!"  
"Here we go!" She made fake airplane sounds, pulling the car out of the drive way. "Runway clear?" She checked the street for oncoming cars. Kenji nodded positively.  
"Yup!"  
"Five. . .four. . ." She urged.  
"Three! Two!" He joined in.  
"ONE! BLAST OFF!" They screamed in unison, laughing in joy. Kaoru left her smile at the house, abandoning it. She never wanted to go back there again.  
Kenji was nearly smothered by all off the boxes in the back seat. He was stuffed between two of the giant cardboard menaces, while the other four were either in the trunk, under his feet, or in the front passenger seat. "Mommy?" Kenji inquired, gasping for breath. "Where are we going?"  
Kaoru stood silent.  
"Mommy?"  
"I. . .I don't know Kenji. I don't know."  
I don't know. . .  
*****  
  
Tomoko-chan: See! Kaoru is NOT a wussy! She just, um. . . runs away from her problems. . . Yea. Okay! Any who, I don't know where Kaoru and Kenji should go. I'm thinking a motel somewhere, until they can find an apartment. I already know what's going to happen to Kenshin. Don't hate him! I love Kenshin, he's my favorite character, but I'm just so evil. I can't help it. . . Sorry it took so long to post this. My muse, Maria, like to take vacations and spend my money. I need chocolate. . .Ja ne! Please comment! 


	4. Chapter 3: Fireflies

Tomoko-chan: Jeezus-pleezus! I don't like to insult, but Peach, are you stupid? I mean, I post up this huge banner in my FIRST CHAPTER that says NO FLAMES and here you are, flaming your baka (most likely blond) head off at me! As I said in the first chapter, which you obviously didn't read, I don't care what you have to say if it's in flames. If you wanted to make a suggestion, you could've just told me and not made your self look like a stupid bitch who yells. I will not use your idea, and most likely won't use any of the ideas yet to come from you. Sorry you were such an idiot. No offense. ^-^  
*****  
"Ungh, Mommy, this place smells like tinkle!"  
Kaoru would have loved more than anything to agree, but this was as cheap as they got, and she would hate for an extra charge for rudeness. The manager just looked surely enough to do such a thing. She just tried to sooth him; he must have been exhausted. "Shh, Kenji."  
"But Mommy," Kenji tried to protest, his hand wrapped around his nose in disgust. Kaoru patted his head, showing sympathy in her eyes.  
"Be still."  
"Okay." The manager resumed conversation. "It's twenty-five for the night, five bucks for anything else. You know, cable, breakfast, laundry. It all costs mucho dinero, you know."  
"That will be fine," Kaoru fished through her purse, gasping from the stench. Retrieving a twenty and a five, she shoved the fistful of money into the manager's hands. "Here."  
The manager walked away, a blank, unsettling expression on his face. Kaoru nearly slammed the door behind him, glad his sideburn-adorned face was out of her presence. Kenji was shivering in the corner, his hands still clamped over his face. Kaoru smiled calmly, hoping to smooth his features. "It's not so bad, Kenji. It's just for one-AAH!" As she bounced an over- night bag on the bed, a hiss and a blurred image of a cat fleeing from under the bed caught her by surprised. With a pathetic meow, the cat was gone out of the hole in the screen of the window. Kaoru could only pray nothing else was living under her bed.  
"Alright," Kaoru looked about the shabby, filthy room she wouldn't look at under any other circumstance. "Since it's Friday, you can stay up a bit, Kenji." She opened her suitcase and grasped her black laptop, hoping to find another apartment by one. She glanced at her watch. It was about ten-thirty.  
"I want to go to bed when you go to bed." Kenji protested, sounding a little weak. He was shaking, she noticed, and concern over took her being. She placed the lap top back upon the small mound of clothing and walked a few steps closer to him.  
"That may be a while, Kenji. I would like it if you went to bed after two shows." She had glanced to the rusty-looking T.V. on one of the tables by the bed. "How about you watch some more Pokemon?"  
He shook his head in agreement softly. "But I still want to sleep with you."  
"We'll see." Kaoru pulled a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around Kenji's tiny, quivering frame. "Just sit for now. You look so sleepy, honey."  
"No, not sleepy." He mumbled his eyelids half closed. "Just cold."  
With a worried stare, Kaoru's eyes drifted from her shaking son to the run-down television. She pushed the power button, and praise Kami-sama! It started up, fuzzy, black and white blobs taking with static in their accents. Turning the dial, it jumped from channel to channel until she rested on the sight of Ash and Picachu, smiling their huge toothless anime grins. Kaoru sighed in relief, glad that they got this station because Kenji wouldn't fall asleep any other way. She walked from the creaky table, shooing the paint chips from around her feet, and picked up her laptop. She sat upon the bed, the springs moaning like a tired old woman, typing furiously upon the poor machine. Searching on the internet, she went to her home page, finding a few meaningless e-mails, but nothing more. Kaoru clicked back to the welcome page, which listed all of the possible options available on the site. She moved her cursor upon the 'Home' link, but her eyes flashed at the sight of the personals link. This temptation was quickly banished, but not entirely.  
She gave up after twenty minutes, on that webpage anyway. One thousand a month for a one-bedroom apartment was just ludicrous. She could only pray in thanks within her mind to who ever created 'cheapapartments.com'. Quickly, she found a nearby apartment complex with a two-bedroom apartment ready for lease. She checked the hours, and realized she had five minutes before the office closed. She had her cell phone to her ear in record time, and she was soon connected to the manager.  
"Hello?" A wheezy, tired voice croaked.  
"Um, hi." She laughed bluntly. "My name is Kaoru Himura, and I was wondering if you still have that two-bedroom apartment for lease."  
"Oh, yea. Are you interested in buying?" His voice suddenly brightened after the word 'lease'.  
"Yes I am! I'm very interested. Does that mean it's still open?"  
"Uh-huh. No one has even called about this apartment until you. You can come check it out tomorrow if you want. Our address is. . ."  
"That won't be necessary." Kaoru interrupted. "I have the address, I am almost positive that I will be leasing. I was actually thinking in moving in tomorrow. The lease is five-hundred a month?"  
"Oh, well, yes." The tone jumped in surprise. "Are you sure you don't want to check it out?"  
"Yes, the web-site had pictures of what it looks like. We will be here tomorrow, and we will have all of our belongings, so if you have any hobos living in the apartment, please kick them out." She chuckled nervously. But no response came. A stunned silence stretched before them until a muffled cough emanated from the manager was heard. Kaoru decided to end this quickly.  
"Well, see you tomorrow. Thank-you."  
"Thank-you, ma'am." And with that, a click signifying the end of their connection was heard. Kaoru flipped the bottom of the cell phone up, and packed it away. She clicked 'back' on her laptop, and she was back to the homepage. That was easier than planned, she thought checking her watch and noticing it was just before eleven. The personals link seemed to glow brightly among all of the other links on the page, and Kaoru wanted more than ever to click on that link and type 'Hi, my husband was screwing someone on the side while I bought for everything and took care of our kid, so now I want a divorce, but I really need to get another person to screw me just to shove it in his face.' Oh, how tempting it was!  
But instead, she wrote and e-mail to her lawyer saying that she did indeed want a divorce with Kenshin. She felt like she was obligated to do it, and that life would just be horrible otherwise. Of course, life would be close to horrible from now on, especially for Kenji. Kaoru looked over at him, and he seemed even worse. He was pale and shaking violently. "Kenji," She gasped, pressing her palm to his forehead, and withdrawing from the heated touch. "You're burning up! You need to get into your PJs now and brush your teeth so you can go to bed."  
He obeyed, sliding down from the bed but stopping after he stood. He did not move, but he did swagger unsteadily a little. Kaoru's eyes grew harsh. Why wouldn't he listen? "Kenji!" She scolded him.  
"Mama. . ." He uttered pathetically before a cascade of vomit flew from his mouth and pitter-pattered onto the wooden floor like sinister rain. Kaoru watched in horror as the bile heaved from her son, whose fingers were knitted together over his stomach. He finished and stared unhappily at the mess before him and down his chin and shirt, reeking of stomach fluids and filled with chunks of God-knows -what. With a squawk of frustration, Kaoru stood, and pointed at the mess.  
"KENJI!" She screeched. Just as things started looking good, Kenji burst onto the scene and literally puked all over it.  
"I'm sorry, Mommy. I didn't mean to." His violet eyes averted their gaze onto the bathroom door, and he made another sick sound.  
"Go in the toilet if you need to do it again!" She pushed him towards the door, stepping disgusted over the puddles on the floor. His pace quickened as he was shoved into the cramped bathroom, where he threw-up in the toilet again. Kaoru grasped the tacky-yellow motel towels from the railing by her head and threw it over the contents of her son's stomach. She covered her hand in another towel, scooped up the pile, and heaved it into the waste basket. Using the last towel, she wiped up the remains and tossed that away as well. She pushed the stray hairs from her face back to join her other billions of strands of hair. Tears of frustration threatened her eyes, when Kenji emerged from the bathroom, a slide of thick vomit running down to the middle of his shirt. He looked helplessly up at her, his eyes wide in fear.  
"I want Daddy." He murmured. Tears welded up in his amethyst eyes and began to slick don the sides of his cheek, a tint of redness already returning to them. "I want Daddy!" He repeated, louder with tears flowing along his face. Kaoru's tears misted her face as she stared desperately at him, not knowing what to say or do. Finally, she slunk down to her knees and brought her hands to her face, hiding it from the world. Covering her pain.  
"I want Daddy, too, Kenji." She moaned thickly through her fingers as she wept. "I want Daddy too."  
*****  
Kenshin felt like he was a lions' den, coated in blood and hunks of meat. As if he weren't already in enough trouble in being a man, he was a man who had had sex with this woman, and was walking into her older brother's house. I'm not going to live through this, his terror-struck mind had concluded. I'm not going to survive to see another day. Of course, inside he knew he was exaggerating, but even deeper, there was a part that wasn't sure.  
"Aoshi, we're home." Misao opened the door and left it ajar for Kenshin to walk through. He closed the door behind him, and leaned against it for support, not sure whether to get up and walk, or turn around and run. Misao disappeared from view, turning around a hall. The house was large, and pretty nice. It was well decorated and in a good part of town. Kenshin had noticed the neatly-kept lawn out front, but hadn't given it much thought until now. He was nervous about what to do until Misao's head bobbed back into his sight and said "You can sit down, if you want." She was gone behind the wall again, and Kenshin removed his coat, sat on the navy blue couch, and set it on his lap.  
Out of the east hall, a dark figure loomed. Kenshin stared, paralyzed in fear. This new stare was like and icy dagger to his mind, making him shiver. A pair of emerald, yet amber tinted eyes emerged with a strong, muscular frame. A few wild strands of charcoal hair drifted in front of the nerve-rattling gaze, but by no means softened it. His mouth was a thin line of disappointment, and his whole being seemed to be judging Kenshin's paralyzed form.  
After this moment of horror had passed, Kenshin could actually breathe, and realize this must be Misao's brother. He was clad in a green, furry and warm looking robe and blue slippers. The lenses gleamed in the lamp light within his black reading spectacles, and a thick book was held in his right hand. He removed the glasses, unleashing the true fury of his stare. Kenshin could not remember being so afraid for his well being.  
"So," He began in a low, gruff, and dangerous voice. "You are the rest of the 'we' my baby sister announced. How do you know her?" His statement and question were rushed together by his articulate speech, making Kenshin sit in astonished fear, and allowing Kenshin to feel quite stupid. Kenshin cleared his throat.  
"Um, she is a. . . well, we met today, and then we, um, met again in the street, and, um. . ."  
"He needed a ride, but I couldn't give him one. I invited to spend the night." Misao interrupted, barely saving Kenshin's pitiful stutter of a sentence. Aoshi gave a small grunt, which seemed out of character for this man who had such intelligence. His slammed the book down upon the nearby coffee table.  
"I suspect you wan a room to sleep in. You may use the guest room." He glanced up from the table, and within the next moment, this dark-haired man had Kenshin pinned by his neck against the wall. Kenshin was a strong man, but he felt helpless under this behemoth of unexpected strength upon him. "But if I hear so much as a footstep or any other clue leading to you wanting to visit my little sister in the hours of this night, this will not be the last time you are in this position."  
"Aoshi, stop it!" Misao ran up to him, wearing only a small pink bra with matching panties, and clutched his arm. "Stop it! You're going to kill him!" She tugged on his arm, barely even budging him.  
"I don't care." He spoke in a voice not quite a whisper, but not exactly a normal volume of speaking. For a second, his grip tightened, and Kenshin's eye closed with the strain upon his lungs. Then, a flood of relief washed over him as the hand slowly unwrapped around his throat, and he fell to the ground. Kenshin reached for his throat, praying it was not a crushed lump of flesh, and began a coughing fit. Misao ran to him, wrapping her gentle arms around his shoulders, tear coming to her eyes. She glared through them at her brother, who was turning away to enter the reading room.  
"Aoshi, you bastard!" She screeched, but he didn't even flinch. Her eyes grew soft as she looked upon Kenshin, his coughs slowing. "I'm so sorry; he only does this when a guy comes over. I'm sorry, I didn't think he'd hurt you. I'm sorry. . ." She patted his mane of fire, soothing him and stroking his back. Kenshin's throat burned as if. . .  
::As if the fires of Hades burns in my skin::  
Where had he heard that before? Where had he felt this much pain?  
::Fifteen minutes!::  
Where was this coming from? His eye clouded with black, as Misao's pale face faded into darkness.  
::Kenshin!::  
He knew that voice. . . So familiar, yet so far. . .  
::Kenshin!::  
And then there had been tears. Tears falling from her face and matting her hair, which blended into that dark sky. He could only see them because of the fireflies.  
And that was their last embrace.  
::Kenshin!::  
Fireflies. . .  
Kenshin fell unconscious, tears falling from his indigo eyes.  
*****  
She really did miss him.  
Kaoru had just realized how much she longed for him. She lay in the musty bed, struggling to keep herself and Kenji warm with the thin comforter. After her breakdown, she could think of nothing else to do but sleep. It was almost midnight when she stopped crying and regained herself, and Kenji was tottering on the edge of sleep and awake. She popped him into bed, and announced that there would be nothing but sleep tonight. It was funny how Kaoru found it hard to follow her own commands. It was nearly two o' clock now, and she was nowhere near sleep. She had laid there for almost two hours, thinking that she would fall into consciousness sooner or later, but the later side had got a hold of her. She remembered how, if she had not changed the sheets that night, she would be in her beautiful bed of roses, next to Kenshin's warm and loving frame. She had felt the care slipping from him, but the love had never truly gone.  
It had been a fairy tale wedding, almost too good to be true. Kenshin stood at the alter, blushing shyly in his traditional black wedding kimono as Kaoru approached him slowly, a bouquet of sakuras, nadeshikos, and more in her quivering hand. She had been filled to the brim with nervousness, but confidence had overwhelmed it. She had wanted this for so long, and knew that she would never be happy again without this. As her mother stood weeping in pride beside her, Kaoru and Kenshin exchanged their vows, and the split second before their lips locked the promise, Kenshin had whispered, "I love you." And nothing meant more. That night, he had taken her for the first time, and through her tears, he whispered that death was a myth and time was a lie, and there was nothing real except for them, and love. She had believed him. She believed him with every fiber of her being.  
Now, she shivered in the cold, her back facing the life she and Kenshin had made that night. She cupped her breasts in her hands, imagining it was his warm touch caressing her gently. Her hand drifted below her flat tummy, and she felt the curly hair of her womanhood. She wanted him, more than anything. Kenji's breath, still smelling of vomit, drifted over to her, filling her with intoxicated sorrow.  
"Kenshin. . ." She murmured, her eyes filling with tears again. "Kenshin. . ."  
*****  
When Kenshin finally regained consciousness, he was in another well- dressed room, with a familiar, Japanese theme. He sat up, uncomfortable with the sudden surroundings. It's not that they weren't nice, on the contrary, but Kenshin didn't like to be in one place one second, and in a totally different area the next. A hand stopped his sitting motion, and pushed him back down. After noticing someone had put pajamas on him, he looked up and saw Aoshi.  
"Oh my G-" Kenshin started to cringe, but before he could finish his sentence, a spoon popped into his mouth, filling it with a warm delicious liquid. He raised an eyebrow. Aoshi sighed.  
"Just be quiet and eat. My little sister would never forgive me if I just left you there, so she ordered me to nurse you." He let out the faintest hint of a smile. "Ironic, eh? The little sister is controlling the elder brother for once."  
Kenshin swallowed, allowing the soup into his stomach. He fingered the clothing around his chest, and a new, almost frightened inquisitive looked graced his face. Aoshi almost blushed. "My sister undressed you. She said she already 'knew' you."  
"Right." Kenshin sank into the pillow, feeling weak. Aoshi refilled the spoon and stuck it back into his mouth, averting his gaze.  
"I am very aware of my sister's occupation, but you must understand my standing on it." Kenshin could only nod; he was an only child. "So, when she brings people like you here, it angers me. It disgusts me to realize that the world is like this. I saw your wedding ring." He paused, and looked at him. "That's why you're here isn't it?"  
"Yes," Kenshin nodded again, almost ashamed. Almost.  
"I mean no offence, but I don't think you deserve her."  
"I did, a few years ago."  
"But that was a few years ago. This is now." Aoshi refilled the spoon again, but did not bring it to Kenshin's lips. "I once read a book. It said 'Be sure to live this moment, for this moment is your life.' And I figured out that that is all life is: a series of moments. Once it passes, it's gone. It will never, ever come back and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Right now, that second, is gone forever. I try to fill my mind with knowledge, my body with strength, my heart with compassion, and my memory with light. That is how I plan to live these moments, and as long as I have that, I am some-what happy."  
Kenshin blinked. "You are very wise." He concluded with a smile.  
"Am I? Am I really? There is a fine line on what we humans divide as wise and insane, but perhaps they are just different ways of understanding. Notice how when a wise man speaks calmly, he is a genies, but when a 'crazy' man screams it, he must need medication. It is quite. . . confusing, I guess. My theory is that if I fail my ways of living, as I spoke of before, I am crazy and just a rambling idiot. But if I do live my life fully, I will know myself as wise."  
Aoshi paused again, his eye half-closed and glowing with some kind of starry magic. He placed the bowl on the night stand and stood. "I don't think you need me to feed you anymore. Try and finish the soup, but please get to bed soon. It is rather late." He turned to leave, but let his eyes to freeze his spine once more. "Despite our friendly conversation, everything I have said to you is still in affect. If I hear you with my baby sister, I most likely will kill you." With that, he turned his head, and left.  
Kenshin sat frozen, and gazed into the steamy mixture next to him. He saw a brown, almost chunky reflection of him, and almost found it disturbing. It was if he was staring into the gatherings of the universe. It was so real and frightening, Kenshin could eat no more that night. He slept a dreamless, yet bothering sleep, with Aoshi's philosophies ringing in his head the entire night.  
*****  
  
Tomoko-chan: Aharrrr, me hardies! It be me, completing another baffling and confusing chapter of Incubus. Now, kiddies, let me remind you, NO FLAMES! You don't want to look like a ninny, as little miss Peach demonstrated, now would you? Of course not! Damn, I'm a busy little girl. School work, three fanfics, friends, and even my beloved Perro-chan! Too much work! Need. . . help. . . writing. . . stories! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO FROM HERE! Please assist! Ouch, I have an ear infection. . . -_- 


	5. Chapter 4: Dissapointments

Tomoko-chan: I don't know WHY I'm even writing this thing. . . Of course I love my dearest, darling Kenshin, but I have almost FIFTY comments on my other fanfics, Emerald Eyes, and I have just ONE chapter on it! Jeezus- pleezus! Insanity, I tell you! I was thinking I should just quit this one, but then I thought of how I SOOOO need to get Kenshin back in this thing, and have Kaoru and ***** hook up. (I can't tell you who the asterisks stand for; it'd be too much of a spoiler. You'll find out real soon, though. Promise! ^_~). I also got the comment saying Kenji should slam the door in Kenshin's face, and I LIKE that idea! I do believe I will use it! Whee! Keep the suggestions coming, and I'll post them. Obviously, some of you are too lazy to scroll back to the first post, saying that I don't accept flames, so for all of you bakas, I'll say it YET AGAIN!! *clears throat and gargles a glass of water* Ahem. . . NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES!! *pant pant wheeze* Okay then, now on with the show!  
*****  
  
Sunlight. Sweet, warm, buttery sunlight, smothering every inch of her bare skin in viridian pleasure, clogging the pain. Choking the agony. Kaoru held the final cardboard box, the ends slipping from her strained fingers. A slick of sweat quivered on her wrinkled brow as she slammed the last of the work onto the carpet of their new home. It was actually much nicer than the photographs, and Kaoru had to wonder if there was something wrong with the nearly-perfect apartment. It had a comely living room with modern decorative promises and a sliding door leading to a miniature balcony. The burnished, tawny, adobe walls corresponded well with the deep crimson terra- cotta tile in the kitchen and dining room, which came with shinned wood- polished counters and even a dining table. There were two bathrooms: one in the master bedroom and one in the hall. The one in her soon-to-be bedroom was highlighted in a cheery purples and greens and visions of violets and other dark-hued flower bounced around. In the other, there was white tile and blue walls, which images of the sea adorning its presence. The master bedroom had crimson walls and a tan carpet, and almost screamed 'Give me gold and scarlet curtains and comforters!' In the smaller bedroom, there were deep, navy blue walls and matching patterns bellow as carpets. It seemed so perfect. . . Everything made to be decorated, except. . . except. . .  
"Except I won't have enough for furniture." Kaoru thought aloud, broken. It was true. She had nine thousand dollars left, but would that be enough for couches, beds, chairs, and entertainment centre, and TVs? Doubtful, Kaoru sulked. And those were just basics. What about a boom box? Kenji would want an entertainment system sooner or later, as well. She thought about going back to the other apartment to get the TVs and Kenji's Gamecube, but what if Kenshin was there? He would think she'd come crawling back, or even make her stay. She didn't want to see or be seen by him ever again.  
She sighed. They needed beds, at least. "Come one, Kenji. Let's go to the furniture store and get you a new bed."  
"Yay!" Kenji squealed happily, unaware how unhappy Kaoru was, and even sadder she would be in a few hours thanks to rising prices. She closed and locked the door behind Kenji, and shoved the keys in her pocket she was turning around to head down the stairs with Kenji when-  
"Kenji!" Kaoru gasped at the sight of Kenji hanging on the railing of the stair case. He swung by it, his little feet dangling like dead mice. "KENJI!" She screamed in terror. He looked up, his eyes wide and innocent, and his mouth in a pleasured smile.  
"What is it, Mama?" He asked sweetly. "Whoa," He added quickly as his hand slipped from the railing and he began his two-story fall.  
"KENJI!" Kaoru shut her eyes, un-able to except the fact that her son's head had just cracked on the concrete below.  
*****  
  
"Fuck!"  
Kenshin threw the assortment of meaningless papers from the table to the floor, flinging them in a rage. Bastard bitch of a whore! Kenshin cursed over and over, both aloud and in his mind. How could she do this to him? She promised. She VOWED. She vowed on her life, through sickness, and bad times, and just about every negative image imaginable, and here he was, two messages on the answering machine blinking red accusation on how his wife had left him.  
The first was from her lawyer, which he thought was ironic considering she was a lawyer herself, saying that she had requested divorce and would need to meet in her office at twelve o' clock on Sunday to organize the papers. The second was from her, with that damnable message that stuck in his mind, repeating like a heart-searing broken record.  
'Did you think I was fucking stupid?'  
Well, actually, in a way, yes. How could he not have? Why would he have done it otherwise if he did not know she would have even the slightest suspicion? 'Did you think I was that naïve?' Yes, because that was how it always was. Kaoru had always been the maiden in distress, and Kenshin would swoop down, sword in hand, and slay the monsters for her, and their love would grow. But now. . .  
'Ten thousand dollars. All mine.'  
That was the part that really tore him. He wouldn't be able to survive. He knew he should just get a job, but it seemed almost impossible. He had no experience, and hardly remembered anything from college. He had just worked in that damn little cube of an office for most of his life and never suspected anything different.  
'How could you do this to your FAMILY?'  
He didn't know. He just couldn't figure it out. It had seemed so right at that moment. Like God practically sent down a golden paper laced with the plans, and would be signed with a lead pen dipped in blood and illuminated by the-  
Fireflies. . .  
He stared at the answering machine, a twisted grimace of hate on his face, clenched his fist, and brought it down upon the black box, shattering it into tiny shards of plastic.  
*****  
  
He was dead.  
Oh, dear sweet Kami-sama, Kenji! She could just hear it: the sound of his small bones shattering, the sickening crunch as his skull hit the sidewalk, splattering his blood, his screams of agony as he died slowly, painfully. . .  
But she heard none. There was a soft and muffled puff of what sounded like air and a brief silence. Then, a deep, masculine and handsome voice spoke from right below her.  
"Well, hi there!"  
She opened her eyes, revealing the tawny pupils, swimming in tears. Rushing to the railing, she clenched the cruel, rusty metal bars and heaved her torso over the side, searching frantically for the voice, and even the possible body of her son. She saw both, Kenji's frame shivering ever-so slightly, his eyes wide with fear and relief. His arms were draped around strong shoulders, bulky and tense as seen through the black, sleeveless T- shirt. There were also firm, adorable buttocks observed within the tight denim jeans stretched over them. Casually careless and coolly messy hair fell to the matching chestnut eyes, clashing with the smooth-looking tan skin. Oh, God, Kaoru gawked. An angel. God sent an angel to save my son.  
There was silence for a moment, and only the unsteady breathing of Kenji and the occasional hum of a chuckle from the brown haired-stranger's lips was heard. Suddenly, Kaoru allowed a whoop of air to pass through her lungs and exhaled it by emanating a huge sob. Tears fell to her cheeks as she scurried down the steps, and eventually locking the man along with Kenji in a bone-breaking embrace.  
"Oh, thank God!" She screamed, muffled by Kenji's hair. "Thank God for you! God bless you! I love you! Thank you! I love you!" Why she said 'I love you' twice, she didn't know, but her gratitude seemed impossible to pass on. The man just smiled and passed Kenji over to her open, welcome, almost greedy arms. She patted his head, stroked his hair, and never looked like she was going to let go of him. Kenji buried his face in her bosom. The stranger laughed.  
"I've never been the religious type, but hey. Sure. Thank God for me!" He slid in hands in his pockets, defying reality, what with his tight pants and all. Kaoru's eyes stayed open, despite Kenji's hair getting in her face and eyes. She almost wondered why she wasn't hugging this man.  
"Who are you?" She inquired, fascination and wonder still in her voice. He brightened, giving an even softer smile.  
"Sanoske Sagara, ma'am. You can just call me Sano. Everyone else does." He extended his hand, and she shook it nervously. What else could you do with a man who had just saved your son's life?  
"Thank you so much, Mr. Sagara. I would thank you even more, and I wish I could, but I'm in such a hurry. I need to go get furniture for my new apartment and,"  
"Furniture!?" Sanoske's features shone like gold as his eyes glittered like a child's. "Did you say furniture? I'm an interior designer, and I just love to go shopping for furniture and organize stuff."  
"Interior designer?" Kaoru couldn't get the puzzle to fit. His body was too fit to be working at such a gentle occupation. Sano noted her confusion and stuttered his explanation.  
"Oh, I volunteer at the Y.M.C.A as a karate teacher for teenagers." He switched back to his child-like form. "I know this fantastic furniture store, beautiful antiques, and so cheap!"  
Kaoru blushed without knowing it. "I think you're my new best friend. Would you please come and join us? I was thinking that we could stop for lunch afterward, so please come with us. It would be my gift, like a thank- you present. Please." She begged, but she would have had to. Before she finished, Sanoske was back with his wallet and car keys in hand.  
"I'm driving!" He announced, flashing the keys of his dodge. "I have a truck, so it will be a lot easier and we won't have to pay too much for delivery." He laughed in boyish contentment. Kaoru couldn't get over on how much he looked like a little boy when excited. He reminded her of the video game character she had seen on TV, Billy Hatcher. What was it about him besides his childish looks?  
::Stupid, baka rooster-head!::  
A rooster! That's it! But how. . . Where did she get that memory? She shook it off, sending her red, blushing face along with it. Kaoru nodded in agreement and loosed her grip around Kenji's waist, allowing him to sneak a few steady breaths as she turned and followed Sano to the apartment parking lot.  
He led her and Kenji to his rather large, white Dodge-ram, with the classic bumper sticker which read, 'Get in, Sit down, Shut up, and Hold on'. Struggling with the height comparison of the seats from the ground, Kaoru literally climbed into the truck, propping Kenji up in the middle. After panting from her great adventure with the foot-step, she pulled the seat belt around her waist and helped Kenji with his. She had a moment to observe the truck with the grey-leather interior and a smell that mixed coffee, cologne, and the faintest whiff of 'new car smell' scent before Sano got in and shoved the keys into the ignition.  
What happened next was not what she would have ever expected.  
When the car started, a CD automatically began to play, but it was English and therefore incomprehensible by Kaoru's means. Sanoske grinned and glanced in Kaoru's direction for a second.  
"I love this song!" He spoke cheerfully, backing up the truck. Tapping on the steering wheel to the beat, Sanoske held his grin as the left the apartment complex. Kaoru was beginning to like the song too, though she couldn't understand it. Suddenly, Sanoske burst into loud song.  
"Too-raa, Loo-raa, Too-raa, Loo-raa, YEEEEEAAAA!!!! Oh, you sing just like my muh-uhtheeeeer!!" He was unaware of Kaoru's state of shock at the unexpected explosions of notes. "Come on, Irene! Oh I swear on me, me, at this moment, you mean EVERYTHING! You in that dress, oh, I swear, it's the best, you look dirty, Oh come ooooon Ireeeeeeene!!!" His voice was slightly high, but deep feeling-wise, like bitter-sweet honey. Kenji giggled, his eyes closing along with his lips around his teeth. Sano, noticing his delight, reached over and tickled him with one hand, steering with the other. Kenji let out his teeth, laughing insanely as if hit by a laughing gas fit. Sano chuckled and Kaoru smiled in content.  
Minutes passed quickly, Sano's voice occasionally harmonizing with the music that jumped from song to song. Kenji's loud, high-pitched giggled filled the truck, and Kaoru hummed in agreement to the tunes. Eventually, Sanoske pulled into a small asphalt parking lot in front of a building called 'Furniture World'. Kaoru raised an inquisitive eyebrow of displeasure, wondering if it was a joke. Obviously seeing her unhappiness, Sano blushed.  
"Believe me; you're going to be glad I brought you here."  
She looked into his eyes, deeply tan with the slightest hint of gold, and found she had to trust him. She grasped Kenji's waist, still rising and lowering quickly with the after effect of the giggles, and carried him down from the behemoth of a truck. Walking steadily to a beat similar to Sanoske's, Kaoru's tennis-shoe clad feet tapped against the pavement, making an unfamiliar sound. She was so used to walking in high-heels everyday, either that or her slippers, but other than that, she hardly wore any other type of shoe. Thing were really changing for her, she realized, slowing her pace top the tiniest fraction.  
It isn't necessary to go into every detail of their trip to the furniture store, for once they got inside and Kaoru saw the vast, modernized collection of furniture and home supplies, there were too many movements, thoughts, and dialogue to note. Let's just say she went around saying 'This would be perfect for my. . .' a lot, and by the end of the day, everyone had an empty wallet and sore feet. Kaoru went home with an entertainment center, two couches, a loveseat, an armchair, two beds, three bookshelves, an office table, an about a million other items such as a new TV, a new game center, towels, etc. Though she lost about all of her ten- thousand dollars, she felt accomplished and pleased. She, Sano, and a snoring Kenji entered the car at sunset, and began to lead the delivery van to her apartment. Kaoru coughed, trying to make conversation.  
"So, Sanoske," She started, clearing her throat. "Maybe after we're finished with the furniture, we can all go out to dinner together?" Her eyes were wide and hopeful.  
"I wish I could, Kaoru," Sano checked his watch quickly. "But I'd better go see my boyfriend about dinner and see if he made anything for us."  
Kaoru's face flushed white. Her eyes went blank. "B-boyfriend?"  
He only smiled innocently. "Yea, Yahiko. Jesus-Christ-Bananas! I didn't even talk about him once! I'm so sorry, I'll have to introduce you two. You'll love each other, I promise. Oh, and he'll adore Kenji. He works as a pre-school teacher and does part-time in child care at the 'Y' with me. Maybe he can help with the furniture, too. He does have a pretty good sense of style, and a good back, if you know what I mean! Jeez, you two HAVE to have dinner with us tonight!" Sanoske seemed so excited and giddy over all of this, but Kaoru was still in a state of shock. Gay? Sanoske, the boy wonder, was GAY?  
Well, duh. Of course. He is perfect. Kaoru sighed in spite of herself. Well, almost perfect.  
"My sister Megumi is coming over tonight too. You get to meet everyone tonight! That is so cool!" Sano rambled on, until finally noticing Kaoru's distraught expression. "You will come, won't you?" His eye went soft and hopeful. "Please come."  
Kaoru wanted to make up an excuse to get away; she was so angry! But, then again, she'd have to go buy groceries to get food, and she would have to buy the month's groceries along with it. She would have to get a withdraw from the ATM and then spend an hour rummaging through the aisles to find what she needed. That would take to long, and she was starving NOW.  
"Of course we'll come!" She morphed her voice into a chipper tone, and Sano grinned.  
"Fantastic!"  
When they got back to the apartment complex, Sano quickly rushed Kaoru to meet Yahiko. It turned out they lived right below her. 'We can baby-sit Kenji for you!' He squealed, excitedly. The instant she saw Yahiko, she wanted to burst into tears. He was so handsome, it hurt. With that ebony, silk-soft hair that nearly hid his deep, blissfully gorgeous mahogany eyes, he almost seemed better than Sanoske. Not fair! Mou! Kaoru wanted to burst into tears.  
"So," Yahiko panted, sitting on Kaoru's beautiful new couch which he had just carried up from the ground floor. "What brings you to this fine day at the Sakura Hills apartment complex?" He smiled a little, and Kaoru giggled, but regained. She sat next to him on the couch.  
"Well," She started, not really knowing what to say. "I moved out from my husband's apartment, well, actually, it was mine. He didn't pay for it at all; he had no job. Anyways, I moved out because. . ." The words refused to come out, like a shy child hiding behind a mothers' frame. "I moved out because. . ." She tried again, but with little success. She pushed herself mentally and forced herself to blurt it all out. "I left because I found him cheating on me."  
Yahiko's eyebrows drooped as he scooted closer to her. "That's horrible! I'm so sorry."  
"No," Kaoru smiled. "Don't be." I'm fine, really." She blinked, noticing that tears were coming to her eyes and sliding down her cheeks. "I'm. . . fine." She whispered.  
"Oh, honey, it's okay." Yahiko embraced her in one sudden motion, locking her arms as he squeezed her shoulders. "You're gonna be okay, now. I promise." Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then softened in realization and relief. Tee hee, she thought absentmindedly. He called me honey. She allowed him to hold her for a while, and was lifted away softly.  
  
"Yahiko, ask Kaoru where we can put. . ." Sano poked his head into the apartment, and nearly gasped at the sight of Kaoru, wiping her stray tears away. "What happened?" He asked, his tone full of affection and care.  
"She's just remembering things, Sano." Yahiko patted her back. "I think she'll be okay. She's a big girl now."  
"Yea, I'm alright, Sanoske." She tried to sound calm through her stuffy nose. "I'm just so happy I have you guys right downstairs. I'm glad I meet you." She smiled, and they grinned back. She sniffled. "Where's Kenji?"  
"Down in our apartment, watching cartoons."  
"Pokemon?" She laughed.  
"Yup." Sano nodded, still smiling.  
"You know, your husband really sounded like a jerk! You should've left him a long time ago. You're so better off without him!" Yahiko stood up and scolded. Kaoru looked at the ground, not agreeing or rejecting the exclamation.  
"Maybe."  
*****  
"Maybe," Kenshin whispered without really knowing he was talking at all. He had been doing that most off the afternoon and didn't move from his crevasse in his chair unless he needed to get another Asaki from the fridge. He had noticed the two twelve-packs of beer, and decided to polish it off after the message machine literally exploded beneath his palm. His face was growing redder by the minute, whether it was from the last six drinks he had finished or the struggle of fighting his tears, he didn't know. He thought about calling Misao and asking if he could 'meet' her again. It sounded promising.  
He was actually thinking about moving when there came a knock at the door. They never really got visitors, often. Usually it was just Minako- chan or one of Kenji's friends with huge begging eyes saying either 'Can Kenji come to my house and play?' or 'Can I stay here and play with Kenji?'. It didn't really matter to Kenshin. He didn't care. Then again, he didn't care about much.  
He wiped his face, just in case there were stray tears that had somehow escaped. Another knock banged on the door harshly. "I'm coming! Ya bastard. . ." Kenshin uttered the last sentence a little under his breath. The walls had ears, and those particular walls happened to be thin.  
He opened the door, all too surprised to see Saito.  
Kenshin had met Saito in college, and their relationship had neither been negative or positive. They battled each other in almost every sport, but would later come to the winning team's party. They didn't call when one was sick, but always said 'You feeling okay?' the next time they say him. They didn't share homework, but copied tests. They didn't give presents, but always came to the birthday bash. Since then, they had kept in faint contact, occasionally stopping by each others home to drink and talk, but mostly drink.  
Saito didn't even hint a smile. "It's been a while."  
"I guess." Kenshin slurred, shuffling his feet.  
"Got any beer?"  
"A couple."  
"Then move your ass and let me in!" He pushed playfully. Kenshin moved to the side of the door way and let him through.  
Immediately slinking over to the refrigerator, Saito grasped a bottle and popped off the cap with his fingers, showing no sign of struggle. "So," he breathed after a long gulp. "How ya been?"  
Kenshin averted his gaze. "My wife left me. She took my kid and most of my money."  
"Shit, man. Tough luck." He took another sip. "What are you going to do?"  
"Agree to the divorce, I guess. I cheated on her."  
"So?"  
Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that wrong?"  
"Not really. What you do is your business. So what if you screwed around? Big deal. As if you did it to make her pissed, or something. You did it 'cause you needed a good fuckin' but she wouldn't supply, ne?"  
Kenshin thought. "Well, yea. Kinda."  
"So technically, it's her fault."  
"I guess. . ."  
"So you should go after her!" Saito exclaimed.  
"What!?"  
"She's your woman. She has no right to treat you like shit."  
"But what if she gets a restraining order?"  
"Who cares? Are you going to let a piece of paper get in the way of your wife and kid? I mean, come ON man. It's your family."  
::Your FAMILY.::  
"Yea. . ."  
Kenshin's head swirled, mixing delusions with reality and blurring the line of real and pretend."  
Family. . .Family . . .Your wife and kid. . .a piece of paper. . .wouldn't supply. . .  
It all made sense. For that moment in his boozed up, red head, it all made perfect sense.  
"Yea."  
*****  
  
Tomoko-chan: Oooh! What's gonna happen next? No, really. I can't think of anything. Please help me! I'm sorry it takes so long to update. I have school work and recently got the game The Sims. I'm freakin' addicted! Seriously, I spend three hours per day on it! It is too much fun! I know all the cheats, so I have mansions and crap. I even make gay and lesbian couples. It's cool. Anywho, please help with the next chapter for I am barren in the desert of my mind.  
  
ALERT! Um, I mean, UPDATE: I will be starting another fanfic soon, so please be patient with updates. Thanks. 


	6. Chapter 5: Icey Blades

Tomoko-chan: Yes. . . to most of you guy's dismay, I am quitting my other Teen Titans fanfic. It should be gone by now. I just didn't feel the same thing with it as I do with this one, or my YYH one. I don't really adore the show; hell, it hasn't even completed one season yet. I just don't want to do a TT one now.  
  
Now, thing are gonna get really intense soon. My muse, Maria, is trying really hard not to hit me or leave for Guam before I can get all of her ideas out, so I should hurry. These next chapters will be. . . some fun. Yes? Yes. Let's try to make the best of this.  
*****  
Family. . . piece of paper. . .wouldn't supply. . . family. . . Kenshin. . .  
He blinked, his indigo eyes un-clouding, slowly.  
Fireflies. . .  
His eyes shifted around, trying to focus on where he was, what was happening, when he was, and. . .  
"What the hell," He mumbled into the carpet. "Why do I hurt so bad. . .?"  
Indeed, Kenshin's head was throbbing, pulsing with every beat of his heart. His stomach was rumbling in an acidy fury threatening him evilly if he would make one move. His crotch seemed to. . . burn. It hurt so fucking much! His eyes closed as he winced in pain.  
"God. . . dammit." The cursing seemed to pain him as well. "Jesus- Christ-Bananas! My crotch!" A cold sweat beaded his forehead, dying his face a pale pink. Slowly, he turned onto his back, holding the trouble spot tenderly. His eyes drooped in a tired manner, sweat trickling to their sides. Kenshin's face heated with fever.  
I need to piss, he realized bluntly.  
He sat up, erecting his form half-way and finding little pain, but as one hand tried to leave his swollen area, he groaned in agony. He grabbed it, eyes closing tight again, hissing through his teeth. Tears began to squeeze out from the nooks of his eyes. Need. . . to. . . pee! His mind screamed in frustration. Quickly, he unzipped his fly and pulled out his member. In one wince of painful surrender, Kenshin allowed himself to urinate on the burnished carpet. There was a throbbing soreness in his penis, but afterwards came the slightest hint of relief. Ever-so-slight, but there none the less. He laid himself back down on the ground, placing his manhood back into his Hanes boxers and zipping up his jeans. He felt the sweat and tears stinging his eyes, but was too exhausted to wipe it away. He shut his eyes, panting hard.  
"What the fuck is wrong with me?" He whispered to himself, and fell unconscious once more.  
*****  
"Sano, this is fantastic!"  
"Thanks, Kaoru. It is pretty good, if I do say so myself. But keep in mind; I'm an amateur when it comes to Yahiko's cooking. His home-made deserts are. . ." He eyes Yahiko slightly. ". . .they're almost better than sex!"  
Kaoru blushed through a smile, pecking at the pie ala mode daintily. Kenji was struggling to reach his fork over the brim of the massive oak dining table, which was a wooden behemoth compared to his small frame plopped in the chair, aided only by the colorful cushion on top of it. Kaoru noticed the trouble he was having, and Yahiko must have as well, for he raised and eye brow and spoke.  
"Having troubles, little man? Wanna sit on a phone book or something to give you a little boost?"  
"No!" Kenji retorted, trying to sound fearless, but it came out a frustrated squawk. Kaoru hid an amused smile behind her hand, still wielding the fork. Yahiko had a strange emotion clad on his face; a strange combination of surprise and happiness.  
"Well, well, then! If you say so." He smiled slyly, eyeing the little boy as if to say 'Come on, you know you need it. I won't force it, but you need it.' As if to read this look, Kenji looked at the ground, his feet dangling.  
"Maybe just one phone book. Just to help. A little."  
"Okay," Yahiko excused himself briefly, pushing his chair and walking into the kitchen. Sano, Kaoru, and now Megumi along with Kenshin continued to bring the forkfuls of pie to their lips. Megumi cleared her throat and wiped her blood-red lips with a napkin. Kaoru secretly wondered were she had gotten such a deep red.  
"So, Kenji, when's your birthday? What year were you born in?"  
"May twelfth," Kenji muttered under his breath, reaching over the rim of the table. "In 1998."  
"I see," Megumi nodded, a sliver of a smile upon her face. She gave a full, deep look at Kaoru, clashing her bold brown eyes with Kaoru's slightly nervous blue. "You birthed him young. Didn't you?"  
Kaoru gave a small intake of breath before averting her gaze to the ground. "Well, yes." She wondered how she could have known, and wished she hadn't asked such a thing. It brought back the memories. Those, horrible, horrible memories. They had only been married for a year. One year, and then she shattered the naïve love that night at the restaurant. Her eyes had been cloudy with tears as she sputtered the facts, feeling like a sinner in a confessional in his presence. She ended up weeping into his jacket, and he brought her close and patted her head and held her. His embrace was not passionate or loving; just a strong hold upon her shoulders as if he were trying to muffle her sobs and not attract anymore attention. He spoke no more, and refused her love later in the night. "Kenshin," she had whispered, a faint, hopeful smile on her lips, "Think about it. I'm going to bear your child. Your beautiful, baby boy. We'll get enough money for him. We can name him after you." Kenshin had placed his strong hand on her forehead and sighed. "No. Don't give him my name. Don't make him have this." She had not understood him, and hardly did even to this day, but she felt the smallest sense of realization within her now.  
Megumi brushed a lock of her gorgeous black hair aside as she reached for her cup of steaming coffee with milk. "I knew it." She spoke triumphantly. "I can always tell. I suppose it's just a sense I have." She sipped and placed the mug back on its original position. "I could read him for his future if you want."  
Kaoru lifted her head up from her gaze and stared at Megumi. "What?"  
"Read him for his future. It's this silly talent I have, but usually, I'm not wrong. I feel a strong presence in this boy, and I want to know what it is. But if you don't want me too, I won't."  
"Oh. No. You'd better ask Kenji. It's fine with me." Kaoru waved her hand, as if throwing the comment aside. A hint of curiosity was in her voice.  
"Kenji, may I read your fortune?" Megumi asked softly. Kenji glanced up.  
"Um, sure."  
"Alright. I need you to stand for me." She stood from her chair and kneeled to be at eye-level with Kenji, who slid out of his chair and looked as if he were about to fall. But he landed with his feet on the ground, and stood ready before Megumi.  
Megumi looked at him over for a few moments, her eyes darting about and around various parts of his body. She clamped her hands together and rubbed them, not loosing her gaze from Kenji's frame. Separating her hands, she patted Kenji's shoulders and moved her hands down to cover his arms, elbows, and eventually reaching his hands. She stared hard at his palms for a minute, then continued with her 'search; by placing her slender fingers on his torso. Working down, she rubbed and patted with chest and stomach until reaching his hips. Kaoru was afraid that Megumi would grope Kenji's small, un-developed manhood, but she didn't and instead moved down his legs, eventually reaching his toes, where she massaged quickly.  
"Well?" Kaoru asked, nervous and somewhat frightened. Sano just stared.  
"Your son is very hard to read." She responded almost immediately. "But I think I got something. He's a very brave and strong boy. Intelligent as well, as I'm sure you know. He will grow very quickly, and will only get sick five more times in his life. He will have three major accidents in his teenage years, but I don't think in any other part of his life. He will never be gravely ill, and will die asleep in his bed, as an old man. He is happy now, but it is a confused, puzzled happy where he doesn't really understand what's happening. In his pre-teen years, we will get very active and playful, and will work off most of his body fat, so feed him well. In his teenage years, be careful about girls. There will be one you must be very aware of. The rest of his life will be peaceful, calm, and pleasing." Megumi looked up at Kaoru, startling her with her huge brown orbs. "You should be very proud." She stated, smiling. Kaoru smiled as well, nodding.  
"I already am."  
*****  
Pain.  
Agony; bitter-sweet, skin-ripping, blood-curdling, muscle-searing, bone-crunching agony that beat steadily within his mind, causing his forehead to glisten with sweat from fever and stress. His amethyst eyes were distant with hallucination as he crouched in the corner of his apartment, hiding from the various puddles of vomit and urine he had forced from his body in the past hours. He panted heavily, but felt like he was hardly getting any air at all. He didn't really care anymore. It was a blessing, that feeling that he might die from lack of air. Kenshin's dazed, confused look matted onto his head cocked in uncertainty was almost unsettling, even to himself. He had shed the soaking T-shirt earlier, wanting to escape the stench within it. He felt dirty and broken, and slipping away from this world seemed sweeter than sugar. His mind smiled at the thought of him bleeding to death as the poison within him left his life juice.  
His eyes shifted around the room, searching blankly. He couldn't move, not even an inch, but maybe. . .  
There was a small table to his side, where a number of office supplies littered the top. Kenshin's wide, nearly pupil-less eyes darted feverishly around the wicker-basket table, his hand groping senselessly in a disturbing manner. Finally he grasped something, and knew right away what it was. He smiled faintly, the taste of copper and blood gurgling in the back of his mouth,  
It was a sword.  
He knew this touch. He knew the coldness of the blade. He had felt it so many times, it was as if it was carved into his memory. The icy pleasure of the chilled metal graced his heated hand as he clutched it, and brought it to his eyes. The handle slid comfortably over his fingers, and a shiver of sweet surrender speed through his spine, tingling his nerves and re- sparking his warrior sense with the flame of murder. He had missed this rapture, this golden retreat within his hands. Tears misted his eyes as the pain already seemed to slip from him. He remembered the blood, and knew that seeing it again would make him perfect, and he would be truly happy.  
He brought the newly-found sword to his cheek and began carving.  
Of course, Kenshin Himura did not really grasp a sword that day. He had never touched a sword before in his life, and had only seen them on occasion. He had hardly ever given them a second thought until this day. What he held between his fingers were in fact a pair of scissors that had been upon the side table. But Kenshin did indeed begin to slice through the skin on his face, and eventually shed so much blood that he fell unconscious.  
If he had not coincidentally carved a cross, the symbol of the savior, on his skin, heated with delusional fever, he may not have been found until days later, dead on his living room floor. But, by a stroke of luck or maybe even God, Misao walked through the open door and saw Kenshin bleeding, and immediately ran to the phone and dialed the emergency unit.  
*****  
Something disturbing went down Kaoru's spine. Chills, maybe? She rubbed her palms over her arms, attempting to warm them. Yahiko walked in through the door to the kitchen, clutching a handful of phone books. His eyes darted around the facial features of everyone in the room, sighed, and locked his eyes onto Megumi.  
"What'd you do, Fox Girl?"  
"I just read Kenji's fortune. That's all." She smiled, calmly and beautifully, the shade of red clad over her lips like a rose petal. Yahiko set the pile of phone books in the corner of the room and walked to Kenji.  
"Hey, little man. Are you okay?" Yahiko inquired puzzled and sincere. Kenji's head lolled, his eye half-closed, and his frame looked ready to collapse.  
"Sleepy." He mumbled simply, and trudged over to Kaoru. He got on his knees, laid his head in her lap, and fell asleep. Kaoru looked at him, surprised but pleasured slightly at the audacity before her. Sano nodded, speaking for the first time in a while.  
"Here, let me escort you guys back home." He moved his own chair aside, and pushed it back to its own place under the table. "Be right back, Yahiko." He yelled to the kitchen, where Yahiko had retreated to clean up. Kaoru pulled Kenji up and draped him on her shoulder. She walked to the door, where she shook Megumi's hand firmly.  
"Thank you. It was a pleasure to meet you."  
"No problem. I'm glad I met you, Kaoru Kamiya."  
"How. . ." Kaoru stuttered. She had not told Megumi her maiden name. She shook it off; coincidence, probably. "Good-bye." She stared into her eyes again, the shivers tingling her back again. "Good-bye, Yahiko. I'll see you later." She spoke loudly, her voice ringing off the sides of the house to the kitchen. Yahiko yelled something back, but she couldn't hear him. She still smiled.  
Sano opened the door for her. "Come, me lady." He grinned foolishly, offering an arm. She giggled and grasped it, using the other to hold Kenji into place on her shoulder. They walked out of the front door, the imprint of Megumi's smile still imprinted in Kaoru's mind.  
What an odd smile. . .Kaoru thought humbly to herself.  
"Did you have a good time?" Sano asked, leading Kaoru up the apartment stairs. She nodded, humming in contentment.  
"Yes, I had a wonderful time. It was very nice to meet Megumi and Yahiko."  
They paused for a moment at the top of the stairs as Kaoru fumbled briefly with the doorknob. It swung open, and she walked inside, heading to Kenji's bedroom. Expecting a quiet 'good-bye', Kaoru was more than surprised to notice that Sanoske had followed her.  
She pushed Kenji's door aside with her hip, bumping it and allowing her to pass, and trudged to his bed side. She placed him gently on top of the covers and laid a green comforter on his frame. She felt an emotion of peace within her as she watched his small, tender lips form around a sub- conscious smile. She backed away slowly from her son and closed the bedroom door behind her. Hearing the soft click, she turned her head, looking at Sano.  
"Thank you." She almost whispered. Her voice was quiet, yet passionate. Sano raised an eyebrow.  
"For what?"  
"For. . . everything. I'm so grateful for you, Sano. If I didn't meet you today, who knows what might've happened to us. We would have had no furniture, no food, no friends. . . I'm just so happy now." Tears threatened the corner of her eyes. "And. . ." She struggled. "I know that this may insult you, or startle you but. . ." She rubbed her eyes. "I feel this love for you, Yahiko, and Megumi, Sano. It's so strong, and it feels so good, I can't imagine life without you guys." Hiding her face, she spoke to her hands which wrapped around her cheeks, becoming one with the tears. Sanoske's eye softened as he quickly walked to Kaoru's side and locked her in a calm embrace.  
"Kaoru-chan, we love you and welcome you here. We want you to be our family. You and Kenji are little stars of light in our lives, and we must thank you for that as well. Don't think that life is over. So what if your husband's a bitch," He joked, smiling as he used his fingers to brush away the droplets of moisture by her eyes. "If he could do such a thing to you and Kenji, he must be some kind of demon, and a baka one at that."  
She smiled, burying her face into his T-shirt to weep some more. She suddenly realized how much weeping she had done these past few days, and thought carefully about it. From now on, she vowed to herself, I'm going to laugh more than cry. I need to be happy here, for Kenji and Sano and everyone else.  
Demon, she wondered as the last tears fell from her face. A demon? Perhaps. . . she closed her eyes.  
An incubus?  
*****  
"911 operator speaking; what is your emergency?"  
"Oh my God! Holy shit, please, someone help us!"  
"Ma'am, I need you to calm down."  
"I can't! I fucking CAN'T! Sweet Jesus, help me! Kenshin's bleeding to death!"  
"Where are you?"  
Misao stuttered into the phone, pushing her hair from her eyes. "I don't know. . . I only know it by memory. I don't know the address. I know it's on Ume Street, or Ichigo Street or some crap like that. It's a street with a fruit in the name. Oh God, Kenshin." She cupped her hand over her mouth, trying to conceal the sobs.  
"Alright, ma'am. We're tracing the call and an ambulance will be there shortly. Stay on the line. Do not move from your location."  
"O-okay. . ." Misao sputtered, flecks of spit flying from her mouth. She tried to pull her eyes from Kenshin's body, but her gaze was drawn to it like a magnet. His hair blended perfectly, and under another circumstance, say, if this scene had been a painting, Misao would have found it disturbingly beautiful. Now she just found it disturbing.  
"Now, ma'am, where is the person injured?"  
"Kenshin. . .he. . ." She hesitated, feeling like she was looking at a corpse. "It looks like he cut himself with scissors, but in his cheek, and there's blood all over the floor. There's also a lot of pee and puke on the floor. . ." She noticed, stepping from the foul odorous substances.  
"Get a clean cloth and apply pressure to the area that is bleeding. Do not do anything but that. Stay on the line and wait for the ambulance."  
"Okay! Okay." She breathed deeply, forcing air to her lungs as she limped along the hallway. Her groin had been hurting her, and she found it hard to move most of the time. She searched the hallway cabinets, and eventually found some towels. She grabbed one, and hobbled as fast as she could to his side. Kneeling, struggling with the phone and the towel, she tried to turn him on his side. A slick of a mysterious liquid dripped from the corner of his mouth. Frantically, she pressed the cream-tinted towel to his cheek, squealing girlishly at the sight of the blood seeming through the cloth. Misao was afraid to apply the pressure. She didn't want to touch it.  
That was when the convulsions happened.  
It started with just a single jerk of his body, twitching slightly just for an instant. Misao thought she had seen a glitch in time. Then his fingers moved in an abnormal manner and his head lolled on the floor, rolling in the mess behind him. His legs and arms jerked outward, nearly hitting Misao. Her blue eyes grew wide in fear as she found her self trembling.  
"Oh my God! Kenshin!" She screamed rather loudly. The operator showed no sign of emotion when he questioned.  
"Calm down, ma'am. What is wrong? What's happening?"  
"Seizure!" She held the receiver with one hand and yelled into it. "Seizure! He's having a fucking seizure! Get that fucking ambulance over here! HE GOING TO DIE!"  
Misao's head felt faint as a sweeping pain washed over her. Her eyelids drooped, revealing dark circles. She swaggered unsteadily in her knees, then fell over on top of Kenshin's twitching frame. She wanted to move and scream, but was too exhausted. Her eyes closed after uttering "Kenshin. . ." one last time.  
She fainted and submitted into the darkness.  
*****  
Sano patted her back tenderly and gently broke the embrace. Kaoru sniffed soulfully, embarrassed that she had wept into Sanoske's interesting, yet cool-looking T-shirt with American letters on them. She couldn't really understand them, but made out the word 'like'. She tugged on it.  
"What does this say?" Kaoru asked, her azure eyes clearing from the absence of tears. Sanoske chuckled.  
"It says 'Like a Virgin'. I thought it was funny and pretty ironic in my case, so I bought it."  
Kaoru formed some puzzle pieces together within her mind. "You can read, speak, and understand English, Sano?"  
"Yea. I used to live in America, with my dad, but after he died I moved back here with my mom."  
"Was it different?"  
"A little. Not much, really. About just as crowded. It was interesting, all right. Maybe it was a bit of fun, too.  
"Oh, speaking of English and fun. . ." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a CD case, the gleaming disk shining a kaleidoscope of colors inside. "This guy's name is John Mayer. He's got some pretty good lungs on him. I thought you might like to listen to him, seeing how you liked my version of 'Come on, Irene'." He grinned, foolishly.  
::But only fools can get into Heaven::  
She clutched the CD jewel case, a smile on her face but a veil of black haze in her head. Where had she heard that before? She shook herself mentally. Maybe I'm just crazy, she figured.  
::Maybe I'm a fool::  
What were these thought in her head?  
::Kenshin!::  
They were so familiar. . .  
::What's this? The blade is on the wrong side!::  
And yet. . . so very new.  
"Kaoru?" Sano stared at her puzzled.  
She snapped out of her daze, blinking quizzically. She smeared on another shy smile as she bowed her head. "Oh, sorry. Thank you, Sano. I'm sure I'll love it." She walked to her CD player. "Can I listen to some now?"  
"Oh, sure."  
She only got as far as to put the CD in the stereo when her cell phone rang.  
She rushed to it and hesitated before picking up the phone. Something didn't feel right. "H-hello? This is. . ." She paused. She didn't know what to say. "This is Kaoru Kamiya." It felt different to say such a thing. She was so used to saying Kaoru Himura. It almost. . . hurt.  
"Hello, this Akari National Hospital. We're looking for a Kaoru Himura."  
She swallowed nervously. Something was not right.  
"Speaking."  
"We have your husband here. He had a series of convulsions and seizures within his apartment earlier in the evening while attempting suicide. He wishes to see you. And testing has just come through that he has been diagnosed with AIDS. Ma'am? Are you there?"  
No. . . Kaoru thought. Her face flushed white as she struggled to free the breath caught in her throat. No.  
***** Tomoko-chan: Blah. Sorry it took so long to update. I've been running out of ideas. Technically, I just pulled the ideas for this chapter out of me arse, so don't be surprised if I'm knee-deep in flames. But please don't flame me. . .^_^;; I'm just a poor little girl with nothing better to do than make imaginary character's lives miserable.  
  
About the whole eye-color, hair-color comment I got, I looked around and did some research and YES. Kaoru's eyes are indeed blue Sorry about that. BUT I also learned that Misao's eyes are blue too. So ha ha ha on my part. Um, I do know and realize that Kenji's hair is supposedly red too, but I like it better black, like his mom. It also symbolizes the hatred he felt for his father in both the anime and manga for never knowing him. Besides, it's my fanfic. I can screw it up if I want too. ^_^  
  
In case you didn't notice, I am intertwining the plot lines from the true anime and manga in this story, making it a sort of. . . past life kind of experience for the RK gang. If you want one of your favorite characters to make an appearance, just tell me. As always, ideas, tips, hints, and death threats will all be considered if put in a sensible way. Yawn, I'm hungry, so I must depart to gorge on chocolate and pizza! AWAAAAAAY!! Ja ne, peoples.  
  
"It's threatening AND romantic! It's threatmantic!"  
- Cosmo, for 'Fairly Odd Parents' 


	7. Chapter 6: Frozen Blood, Dripping Time

Tomoko-chan: Ooooh, you all hate me now, don't you? Not only did I curse you with a cliff hanger, I made it an evil one involving near-death experiences too. Don't hate me, and don't hate Kenshin! He really is my favorite anime character of all time, and I do wuv him. . . You should too! Kaoru, in my opinion, is kinda a wussy. I mean, she's supposed to be this big tough kendo master, and I've only seen her fight once or twice. Every other time she runs screaming 'KENSHIN! KENSHIN!' And it ticks me off! Yahiko and Sanoske have my attention, well at least Sano, and Misao I don't really care about, so curse her all you want. I needed a prostitute, and Megumi was going to be Sano's sister, so I just picked her. Aoshi, as you'll see very shortly, will become VERY involved in this story. . . Tee hee! To Kaoru Latina Chick, sorry, but I can't fix that. Kenshin will have AIDS, and most likely die from it. But I assure you, though Kenshin will probably die, Kaoru will be happy with some one else. I assure you. And if I broke any hearts, I'm sorry and you can borrow my duct tape to fix them. To Chikai Tenshi, you'll see sooner or later whom Kenshin's affection holds, but now you can rest assured that the one Kenshin loves most in Kenshin. He wouldn't do that to his wife other wise.  
  
And too all of you that are wondering. . . Yes, I am indeed very VERY evil. ^_^  
*****  
  
"Are. . . Will he be okay?" Kaoru lowered her head.  
"We don't know. He's in critical condition. He lost a lot of blood, and of course there is the matter of him having AIDS. I'm sorry to say that he will die in a few years, whether he makes through this or not."  
"How many years?"  
"It varies. Usually around three to ten years, in men his condition."  
"Okay," Kaoru tried to talk like the hospital operator: monotone with no sign of ant emotion or feeling. It hurt her. "Tell him I'll be right there, alright? Don't let him fall asleep or anything."  
"Alright."  
"Good-bye. . ." She drew the phone from her ear and let it fall onto the receiver. She hid her facial features from Sanoske, who was still standing in the doorway, as she gathered her coat and purse. "Sano, could you watch Kenji for a little while? Something happened." She kept her voice low and soft. Sano looked at her, worried.  
"Sure. What's wrong? What happened?"  
"I'll be right back. . ." She ignored him.  
"Kaoru, what happened?"  
"It's just down the road and around the corner." She brushed him away almost harshly.  
"Kaoru?"  
She stopped, looking at the ground. It the faint gleam of the patio light, Sanoske saw a few shimmering tears escape from Kaoru's eyes he ran to her, offering a hand. She grasped it, taking in a breath.  
"It's Kenshin, Sano. . ." She began to cry again. "My Kenshin is dying."  
*****  
  
"Stabilize that heart rate, for God's sake!"  
"Why didn't anyone apply pressure to his wound?"  
  
"Come ON people!"  
"Wait, we need something to monitor her breathing."  
"Okay, are they all strapped in?" The emergency unit checked all of the straps around Kenshin and Misao. It was difficulty to decipher the tubes watching their lives from the belts and lines of strong cloth that kept them from flying out the window. If he tugged on the wrong thing. . . . these lives were lost.  
"Wait, she's regaining consciousness! Slow the truck down, or she could go into a coma!"  
Misao's eyelids felt too heavy to be lifted by her own means, but somehow, she managed to flicker them open slowly, her body rocking with the motion of the ambulance. Her glazed, tired eyes drifted to Kenshin, his face and chest caked with blood and traces of vomit. Her eyes softened, and one would have seen her mouth shift to a line of sorrow, if the oxygen mask had not been in the way. She remembered, just yesterday she had met this man who seemed so glorious upon her. His warm smile and embrace had made her blush within his spontaneous acts of kindness. She had felt his power and strength, not just as he pumped on top of her, but in his motions and the way that he spoke. Why would he do such a thing?  
Suddenly, Kenshin's chest heaved with another convulsion, his eyes open blankly in a disturbing, vacant stare. His fingers twitched subtlety as he looked ready to explode from the mobile bed. The emergency units rushed to his side, pushing his tense muscles down and monitoring his vitals.  
"Give him some medication, for Christ's sake! Jesus!" One doctor managed to yell right before his jaw was cracked on Kenshin's heaving stomach. One nurse escaped from the crowd and grabbed a vile of a thick- looking yellow liquid and a sterile needle. She punctured the top of the needle into the tiny bottle, and squirted it to push the air from the needle. A splatter fell onto Misao's cheek. The nurse turned and hid what she was doing to her, but Kenshin's convulsion's eased, and his seizure seemed to end, or at least come to a brief close. His eyes were a blank purple with no sign of emotion or even a pupil. It was just one swirling orb of clouded indigo. Kenshin's chest moved up and down slowly with unsteady, shaky breaths. Misao's eyes widened in fear. Would that be her in a few hours?  
She forced the breath she had been holding out through a deep sigh, intertwined with the hint of a sob. She closed her eyes again, hoping she would not open them again. She didn't want this; not now. She had no money to pay for whatever expense the doctors would dream up. And what about Aoshi? Oh, the shame she would feel in his presence! The utter embarrassment she would feel with his cold emerald eyes glaring at her, scowling in ever-green disapprovment. She couldn't bear to ask him for money to pay for the hospital bills, much less bear to actually look at him.  
Out of a whim, Misao turned her head to face Kenshin again, taking in a gasp at what she saw. She knew he was only half-conscious, or maybe even less, but he was . . . staring at her. His wide, vacant violet eyes bore a hole into her mind, chiseling deeper and deeper within her. She felt a damp coolness on her cheek, and realized she had started crying without noticing. This. . . vision, this sight before her disturbed her. She closed her eyes, but the image of his face remained. She squinted her face.  
"Aoshi-sempai, Aoshi-sempai, Aoshi-sempai. . ." Misao prayed, hoping Aoshi would come and make everything alright just like he always had. She had only felt this terrified once before, when she saw a gutted cat on the sidewalk (still alive), and Aoshi had come and made it all better. He got his Beebe gun and shot it out of its misery, placed it in a shoebox with a flower, and buried it. Aoshi had saved her then. Why didn't he save her now?  
"Aoshi-sempai, Aoshi-sempai, Aoshi-sempai. . ."  
*****  
  
"Where is he?" Kaoru bellowed, her voice low and dangerous. "Take me to my husband, God dammit!"  
"Please, ma'am. He's sleeping, and he needs his rest."  
"I don't care! You promised you wouldn't let him fall asleep on me! You lied! I need to see my husband, dammit! Let me see him NOW!" Kaoru shut her eyes tightly in anger, tears slipping from the sides. "Let me see him." She spoke calmer, but with a hint of frustration.  
"I would if I could, ma'am," The nurse's eye grew softer. "But I can't. He's sleeping now, but we'll run and get you the instant he wakes up."  
Kaoru's eyes remained fierce and protective even as the tears streamed down her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled in sapphire determination and her frame almost glowed with warrior's spirit. She slunk to her knees, her hands cradled by her arms, and she let out a cry of agony. The nurse stared at her in horrified wonder, amazed that this woman would break down and weep in the middle of a hospital. She backed away slowly from Kaoru and bowed quickly after muttering, "I'm sorry. . ."  
Kaoru controlled herself after a while, sniffling in the middle of the hallway as she dodged glances from inquiring doctors and confused patients with their loved ones. She didn't care, which was the funny thing. Usually, she wouldn't even let Kenji pull this behavior at home, much less in public. Yet there she sat, the last few tears falling from her face to the blinding linoleum tile below.  
The hallway was silent now, and seemed void and empty of any people. She thought about standing up to go into the waiting room, where she was sure there were chairs a little softer than the ground, but she couldn't move. It was if her legs were paralyzed and her feet glued to the ground. It didn't matter, she realized, and hugged her knees to her chest. Nothing matters anymore. She rested her chin on her knee cap as she starred into the space of the hospital corridor. I must look crazy, she figured with a sigh. But perhaps we're all a little crazy, some more than most. What is the true definition of crazy, anyways?  
"What DOES Fooly Cooly mean, anyways?" Kaoru chuckled. That stupid, yet adorably confusing show she used to watch when Kenshin was either asleep or out on the town still stuck with her. She smiled in spite of herself. Burying her face into her knees, she continued to smile as the tears wiped onto her sweats.  
Suddenly, a rough grasp was taken on her shoulder blade.  
Kaoru pivoted, gasping in surprise at this foreign rein on her shoulder. She slipped from the hold, tumbling to the floor and instantly covering her face with her arms. Her knees slid from her chest to a triangle formation when joined with the floor, slightly tilted, but both feet sturdy on the ground.  
The man withdrew his hand in sudden shock, pulling it to his abdomen area. His ebony hair swirled slightly with his body as he took a step backward with an intake of breath. The emerald eyes glistened faintly in the fluorescent hospital light, looking like they held precious stones within the iris. Kaoru blushed a brief scarlet, and averted her gaze. The stranger coughed, to relieve the silence, and shot his eyes to the ground. His own cheeks began to turn pink as the blood rushed to them.  
"Excuse me, miss, um," He nearly stuttered. "Are you alright?"  
Kaoru stared at the ground, her eyelids half-closed as if she were sleepy. "Not really." She murmured, but the stranger heard her.  
"Is there anyway I can help?"  
"Not unless you can walk into that room and wake up my husband."  
The man sighed softly. "I feel your pain. My baby sister is in here, somewhere, but they won't tell me much. I only know that I can't see her, because she's sleeping. I don't even know if she's in intensive care, or if she really is just sleeping."  
Kaoru smiled faintly. "You must care about her a lot."  
"Yea, I suppose." He gestured to the ground. "May I join you?"  
She closed her eyes, the smirk still on her lips. "Sure."  
He squatted and slowly brought his buttocks to the ground. He gasped quietly on contact with the cold tile, but eased into a sigh as his body heat soothed it to a luke-warm comfort. He pulled his knees to his chest to join Kaoru in her sitting position and looked at her, smiling a little. She noticed, but didn't stare at him back. Occasionally she would feed him glances from the corner of her eye, but nothing more. After a few moments of silence, the man coughed again, and smiled directly at her.  
"As much as I love sitting in silence with you, don't you think that the waiting room would be a little more comfortable?"  
"Yes." Kaoru muttered.  
"Don't you want to go to it?"  
"Not really."  
"Okay then." He sighed.  
"You can go, if you want."  
"No thanks. I'm not just going to leave you here." He closed his eyes and let his smile fade to a soft smirk. Kaoru nearly gasped. If his hair had been red and long, and his cheeks a little more full, he would have looked just like Kenshin. He rested his chin on his knees. "You could make both of us a little more comfy by moving to the waiting room. That way I wouldn't feel guilty about leaving you."  
Kaoru stared at the floor, embarrassed as her full cheeks filled with faded red. "Well. . ." she spoke softly, her bottom near freezing on the icy tile. "Alright. I'll move to the waiting room. It must be a little warmer."  
"Doubtful." He spoke, his smile widening a bit. "You know hospitals. I think it's a form of medication or a treatment of some kind to freeze all of the sick people." Kaoru chuckled.  
"Maybe." Kaoru smirked, amused. The man rose to his feet quickly, while Kaoru was having some trouble. He gladly offered her a hand in assistance. She took it, bewildered at the thought that no matter how many times Kenshin had said he loved her, he had never been this chivalrous since high-school. She limped up and brushed the specks of dust off of her bottom. She locked her sapphire gaze into the stranger's emerald eyes. She felt her face grow hot.  
"Who are you?" She inquired, dazzled as their precious stones intertwined into an aqua-diamond of a friendship. He extended his palm.  
"My name is Aoshi Shinomori."  
*****  
  
Misao's lips locked tightly around Kenshin's, their tongues battling fiercely, passionately for power. Kenshin's strong, calloused fingers were slowly being pushed up Misao's shirt, driven by the glories waiting in her soft Wonderbra. The other was stroking her thigh, teasingly caressing her small buttocks occasionally. Misao wrapped her arms around his neck, ruffling his mane of crimson hair. A part of her fore arm stroked his cheek, riddled with stitches, and he cringed.  
"Does it hurt?" She asked tenderly, touching the other side of his face gently. He smiled.  
"Not anymore." His response was practically an oldie-but-goldie, and yet she still giggled and felt aroused. She lifted her leg and placed it between his own. Her other one was wrapping around his calf muscle, which hardened at the reflex. A brief pressure was placed upon the knee that was climbing between his legs, and she smiled in pleasure to find him erecting for her. She reached one of her arms down and inched down his stomach, at the same time feeling his grasp advance to her breast. Her nipple hardened at the thought.  
Before either of them made contact, they both stopped and stared at each other. Kenshin's eyes were driven with fire, the flames flickering within his pupils in lust and desire. Misao's eyes felt cold, but she knew it was a soft, icy color that was inviting, like a glass of cold water after a long jog.  
"I dare you." Kenshin grinned, his finger tips centimeters from her breast, itching to squeeze. She smiled back.  
"I double dare you." She glanced temptingly at her own advancements.  
The fire in his eyes grew wild and out of control. "I triple dog dare you."  
"Are you sure a doctor or nurse won't come in?"  
"I told them to not disturb us."  
"What about visitors?"  
"I said to tell visitors I was sleeping and could not be woken."  
She grew uncertain. "I'm not sure we should do this here. You'll be out of the hospital in a few days. . . Why don't we wait?" She leaned in and tickled his ear with her teeth. "Besides, I don't have my toys with me. You haven't had play time for real until you've tried it with MY toys."  
Kenshin pouted. "But I want you now."  
"It's a hospital. I'll feel dirty."  
His eyes narrowed slyly as an evil smile painted his lips. "I like dirty."  
"Not that kind of dirty. I mean, little old ladies have died here, you know. I'll feel wrong. I won't come." She pointed out. Kenshin sighed, aggravated.  
"Come on, it's not like sex in a hospital is going to kill you."  
Misao's eyes lowered in shame as he mentally whacked himself upside the head. Stupid Baka! Why the hell do you think you'll have to update your will in five years instead of fifty!? God dammit. . . He cursed, closing his eyes. Misao kissed his cheek and rested her head on his chest.  
"What do you think it will be like?"  
"What?"  
"Dieing."  
"You think about that stuff?"  
"Not until now. It will happen someday, you know. I just wonder when, and how. What will happen to us? Will it be like sleeping, or dreaming? Is Heaven just one dream that goes on for eternity, and Hell is just a nightmare that won't end? Or are just dreaming now?"  
Kenshin patted her ebony head. "You have a lot of philosophical thought for one with such an empty head, that you do."  
::That you do. . .::  
"Hm?" Misao looked up at him.  
"What is it?"  
"'That you do.' What's that from?"  
"Isn't it from 'Star Wars'?" He joked with a smile.  
"Probably. I have a horrible memory when it comes to movie catch phrases."  
"How are you doing?"  
"Okay. I had no injuries. That's why I came here so soon. They let me go."  
"I see. . ." Kenshin began to wrap his arms around her waist.  
She rose and pulled from his hold, raising her legs over the bars of the hospital bed. She moved his scarlet bangs and kissed his forehead. "We'll do it when you get out."  
Kenshin sulked, looking like a little boy who had just dropped an ice- cream cone. "Okay." He lowered his head.  
"Bye." Misao waved a good bye and left the room, slinging her purse over her shoulder. Kenshin laid there for a few moments, feeling empty. He reached over to the side of his bed and pushed the annoyingly bright red button that stated 'NURSE' in black, bold letters.  
"Hello?" He checked, making sure his voice was clear.  
"Yes, Mr.Himura. What is it?"  
"You can send in any visitors now." Kenshin toned, sure that Kaoru was there, just like she always was.  
*****  
"Mrs.Himura?"  
Kaoru glanced up from her conversation with Aoshi, surprised at the nurse's sudden appearance. It was as if she popped out of nowhere, her little pink clip board with the cherry stickers on the back screaming in childish delight. She raised an eyebrow in response.  
"It's Ms.Kamiya, please."  
"Well, your husband will see you now."  
"Alright." She looked at the ground, more content glaring at the ground than at the nurse's abnormally blonde hair and huge bosom. "Just a moment." She gathered her purse and held it instead of wrapping around her arm. She stared at Aoshi for a moment, a blank smile one her face. "I guess this is goodbye."  
"Wait, please. . ." He extended a hand to stop her before she turned. He fumbled for the pen on the nearby table and ripped a paper from the back of a magazine.  
"Hey!" The nurse cried in an annoying valley-girl tone. "That's hospital property!"  
"Here," he spoke, ignoring the nurse. "It's my number. If a girl picks up, it's probably my sister. Just ask for me." Kaoru grasped the thick paper nervously and stared at it with obvious uncertainty.  
"I don't know, Aoshi. . ."  
"You don't have to take it."  
"Yea, but. . ." She became flustered. Kenshin always used to force her into things. She wasn't used to fending for herself. She found it odd that she even spoke out at all. But she folded the paper and placed neatly in her small purse pocket. Aoshi tried to hide his small smile.  
"I hope you call."  
On a whim, Kaoru asked, puzzled. "Why?"  
"I like talking to you. You should see me around people I don't like to talk to. I either snap at them because I find them too stupid, ignore them because they're too boring, or stutter because I'm just not comfortable with them." He let his smile out slowly with ease. "You're different. Maybe because we wear in the same shoes."  
"Maybe." She attempted to smile back.  
It wouldn't work.  
*****  
She didn't know what to say.  
She leaned against the door to the hospital room, feeling helpless and small as his eyes glared menacingly at her. She wanted to back into the corner, but thought it would be unwise to move. His violet eyes seemed speckled in a horrible shade of amber-gold, frightening her.  
"So," He was the first to speak, thankfully. "You caught me."  
"Damn straight." She stood a little taller.  
"Ever consider why I was getting screwed every other day?"  
That often? Her eyes narrowed, concealing the tears. "Why?"  
He grinned evilly, mocking her. "Because you couldn't do it. You weren't good enough. I couldn't fuck enough whores to get your smell off of me. You know what that smell was? Fear. Satisfaction that I could never have. The feeling that you needed me more than I needed you. Shit, you practically begged me into bed with you every Monday and Thursday."  
Kaoru just stood. She didn't know what else she could do.  
Kenshin sat up and slung his legs over the bars of the hospital bed. She tried as hard as she could to keep her eyes low, but occasionally her eyes would flick up and notice how the horrid gold was engulfing his stare. He stood, his bare feet on the floor, and began to walk toward her, speaking in a harsh and dangerous volume.  
"Then of course, you had to have Kenji. Do you know how close I was to asking for an abortion? Or adoption? We weren't ready for him. I wasn't ready for him. But you kept him anyway. So I went to that crappy job, to buy food for the wife who couldn't supply and the son who hardly cared I was alive. Do you know what that feels like?"  
His face was inches from hers, his hot breath flooding her cheeks with scarlet hue and smothering her thoughts. "But. . ." She defended weakly. "Kenji and I love you."  
Kenshin's hand shot up and griped her tightly by the throat, his face twisted in anger. The amber swirled in his pupils, swallowing his former self. Kaoru clawed helplessly at his arm, hoping to set herself free from the pain shooting to her brain. She choked, her breath clicking within her throat.  
And Kenshin laughed.  
He leaned up and kissed her on the lips, as if trying to eat her whole. She suffocated inside of him; she was not given the privilege to breath before he stole her last wisp of air. His hand reached up quickly and grabbed her breast, rough and brutally. He squeezed, hard, and Kaoru felt like he was going to tear it off.  
She managed to push him away, gasping for air. "Please. . ." She breathed heavily, placing a hand on her chest. "No more. . ."  
His eye grew to a solid, metallic hate as he reached his hand from her breast and slapped her across the face, knocking her onto the floor. "I say when to stop, bitch." He hissed. He seemed to fall on her, pressing to her body, depriving her of air once more. "What are you gonna do now?" He taunted cruelly in a sing-song manner as he pushed her face closer, her frame squishing against his tense muscles. "I could rape you here, right now, and know one would know or even care. So tell me, Miss Kaoru, what are you going to do now?"  
Kaoru had never felt more terrified in her entire life. She couldn't move, breath, speak, and hardly even think about anything besides the wave of panic flooding her mind. Kenshin, the man she even still loved with all of her being , was going to try and rape her and maybe even try to kill her after. It all seemed like a bad dream, but inside, she knew it was real.  
Inside, she knew that Kenshin would not save her this time.  
She would have to save her self.  
::If you're strong, you live. If you're weak, you die.::  
She would have to believe that.  
*****  
  
Tomoko-chan: Aiiiiiiieeeee!!!!! *crawls into fetal position, praying not to be harmed* Sorry if I offended any of you 'Sweet Vagabond' Kenshin type lovers, but this is what Alternate Universe is all about! This is usually a hard genre, but I do what I can. Sorry it takes so long to update, but I have school and social stuff. I even had a fight with my Perro-chan. Yesh, a long spell of depression, that it was. Lots-o-stuff a goin' on. But, I would be quite thrilled if you guys helped and sent me ideas and stuff. If you want that guy, um. . . Enishi or something, you'll have to send me a link to a website with a lot of good information on him and Tomoe. I need this to add him in! If you don't WANT him in, don't say anything. Comments would be appreciated, though. NO FLAMES, please. I know what I'm writing may offend some people, but this is what I choose to write. It's up to you on what you choose to read.  
  
Yargh, I want chocolate.  
  
Ja ne, peoples! ^_^ 


	8. Chapter 7: Broken Promises

Tomoko-chan: Hey! It be me again, answering some reviews. Kamorgana: Thank for being civil when responding. I appreciate it greatly. When Kenshin experienced that moment of convulsions, it was not because of AIDS or the loss of blood. Do not fear, all will be explained. His madness and odd behavior will also be explained. Thank you! Kira, chibi-tanuki, and SamuraiX Koneko, thank you so much for your kind reviews. As you can see, I have updated earlier than usual! Thank you all. As most of you saw, I started a new fanfic called the Poetic Archive. It is a shrine of poems to the Kenshin Gumi. Please send in the people you want poems about, and I will write them! Coolio, rulio, let's go in a poolio!  
  
Hee hee. Chimps in black boots.  
*****  
Kaoru wiggled in Kenshin's tight, protective grasp, struggling to free her self. He smiled cruelly as an evil chuckle rose in his throat, deep and meaningful. Her eyes widened in fear; she had never heard him laugh like that. His laughs were always bright and airy and were let out at just the right moment, accompanied by his sweet smiles. Like candy, she noted.  
But now his fiery hair loomed loosely over her like a haunting flame, burning her skin and heating it with fear. His gold-engulfed eyes weighted her with the metal, keeping her body between him and the floor. She knew that the angel of death had come for her. Kenshin would eventually finish with her and grab a nearby needle and fill it with chemicals and punch it into her, or grab the chair next to them and whack her over the head until she went into a coma. Or something witty and painful like that. It would have to be, for Kaoru didn't think she could ever hurt Kenshin back.  
But could destiny be changed?  
She raised her right knee quickly into Kenshin's groin and observed his eyes widen and grow blank in pain. He fell to one side, clutching his crotch, while Kaoru shot up and ran to the wall again, panting. Sweat beaded her forehead as she watched Kenshin's agony. He had closed his eyes now and laid there, hands loosely placed below his waist.  
"Why. . .?" Kaoru managed, gasping for air.  
"Why what?" His eyes remained closed.  
"Why everything? Why me and Kenji? Why that whore? Why the scars on your cheek?" Tears lingered on her eyelashes.  
Kenshin griped the metal railing for his hospital bed and pulled him self to his feet, shaky and unsteady like a newborn colt. He wobbled momentarily, his head down and his hair covering all signs of a face.  
"Why?" He asked her, aggravation in his tone. "You mean you don't remember yet?" Kaoru fumbled behind her back for the door knob. Her brow furrowed in frightened confusion.  
Kenshin chuckled, his hair still hiding the obvious smile on his face. Kaoru nearly wished aloud that his head would stay down. Though it lolled to the sides occasionally, disturbing her, she did not want to see what the hair hid. "Because it's fun to remember, Kaoru. Then I can change it all I want. You know, experiment with all of our lives, so to speak. You wanna know why, Kaoru? Little Miss Kaoru? Kaoru-dono?"  
Her eyes widened. He hadn't called her that for so long. Her heart tore.  
His head rose, exposing a twisted, insane grin. Kaoru couldn't bear a gasp. A sick terror rose in her throat, releasing as a horrified squawk. Inside, she screamed, 'My Kenshin! Oh, my darling! My baby. . . what the fuck did you do to my baby!?' She wanted to run up to him screaming like a mad-man, and hold him as she did so, so they could be insane together at least.  
But even in her thoughts, she was afraid to touch him.  
"Because I think it's FUN."  
Kaoru looked at him, and saw the blood dripping from his hands.  
She screamed, opened the door, and ran screeching for her life out into the hallway.  
*****  
"Aoshi-chan."  
Aoshi's gaze shot from the magazine to Misao instantly, his instincts picking up her voice at the first note. He dropped the thin, badly bound media source and wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes tightly. "Thank Kami-sama. . ." He breathed in relief. Misao hardly responded, and only patted his back with a faint smile in return. Pulling apart their embrace, he stared at her, scolding softly. "Why aren't you in a bed?"  
"I'm not hurt." She answered simply, shrugging her shoulders as if it were nothing. "I had nothing wrong with me, so they just let me go. All I did was faint. That's all."  
"Why did you go to his house anyway?" Aoshi kept his hold on her, forcing her to look back into his eyes. He knew she felt uncomfortable, staring back at people, but he knew that's a true sign of her truthfulness.  
"Well," Her heart and mind were having totally different conversations. "He's my. . ."  
::Lover::  
"Friend, so I wondered if he was okay enough so we could. . ."  
::Become one again. To loose ourselves once more::  
"Catch a movie or something. I didn't want to call, because it was a little early when I would have called, and I was worried. . ."  
::That his wife would come in and see us, naked and clean and pure, just like Kami-sama made us. But he made us to be ashamed in ourselves that way. We would cover ourselves, not to hide from each other, but only from her. She didn't understand::  
"That he had work or something. It was late-afternoon when I thought about going, so I figured it was about right to. . ."  
::See if he felt the same for me::  
"Go over and ask." She completed finally, feeling like she had no air in her chest. Aoshi brushed a strand of charcoal hair from her face, which was nearly identical to his. The emerald in his gaze calmed and frightened her at the same time, as if she were being presented a huge, expensive precious stone. She shot her own stare to the floor, afraid her faded, tired blue would give away something. Aoshi smiled, and engulfed her in another hug.  
"Let's go home." He spoke by her ear, sounding calm and collected as Misao felt ready to collapse inside. Tears wet the corners of her eyes. She felt like she was five again, so it was okay to cry for no reason.  
"Aoshi-sempai. . ." She buried her face into his black jacket and cried.  
*****  
Kaoru pulled out her cell phone, but did not know who to call.  
She sat in her car, still in the hospital parking lot, holding her armor-black phone blankly, wondering who was there to catch her as she began to fall. The insanity in his eyes still burned her soul. She breathed hard, trying to rid her mind of the sight. She could feel the hate in his being. She could taste the blood on his tongue. She smelled the sweat against his fevered skin, tingling with every move she made. He wanted more. She knew.  
She was never more disturbed in her life.  
She was positive that there was no blood on his hands, and yet there was. There was so much. It gathered and fell into disgusting piles by his feet, dripping in scarlet fullness. Blood from his past. From those moments in time Kaoru could not find. There was blood. It was there.  
She was sure of it.  
Kaoru took the ragged paper from her purse and looked it over, trying to decipher the digits in the night. She did not want to turn on her car light; the dark was fine. Besides, Kenshin had hurt her in the light. What if he came back to her in the light again? No, she couldn't trust the light again.  
An unknown tear fell from her eyes, blemishing the last number. She hardly cared, but she was disappointed that she might not be able to call him. It was hard enough to read in this darkness, but to read faded numerals was a little more difficult. She wasn't even sure she wanted to call anyone. Perhaps she would just stay there all night in her car, and it would be good enough.  
But, oh, how she ached! Her heart crackled like rice cereal in her chest, the cuts swerving and deepening within her. Her body was so tired of it all. This running around and falling to the ground in tears and being hit. . . she was exhausted. Her mind was faint and distant, loosing consciousness.  
The buttons of the phone glowed in char-truce light as she dialed the number.  
*****  
"Hello?"  
"Aoshi. . ."  
His eyes widened briefly as he grasped the black-painted desk phone. His mouth grew to a small smile that wrapped faintly around his teeth. "Kaoru! I didn't think you would call so early after we met. Good thing I just got home. I don't too far from the hospital." He leaned against the mahogany bookcase, filled with rows and columns of thick leather-bound books. "Not that I don't mind you calling, or anything." He laughed nervously. "So, how are you? How is your husband?"  
Kaoru smiled quietly at the sound of his laugh, but it slipped away and shattered in her heart. She didn't want to cry in front of him again, but it seemed so hard to hold them inside. The almost burned. She covered her nose and sniffled, hoping he wouldn't hear.  
But he did.  
His eyes lowered in concern. "Kaoru? What's wrong?"  
She drew her hand to her mouth, droplets oozing from her tear ducts. "Aoshi. . ." She started again, her fingers muffling the words. "His eyes, Aoshi. His eyes. They hurt. He was crazy, but I couldn't scream. I couldn't scream for the longest time. I couldn't understand it. I didn't know why he changed. He started talking about messing with peoples lives, and remembering. . ." She paused to breathe, her face red and hot. "And then he hit me. . ."  
"He HIT you!?" Aoshi nearly screamed.  
"He looked so weak, then he just stood up and he kissed me. I wanted it, but I couldn't feel right. He didn't FEEL right when he did it. He hurt me, so I pushed him away. But he didn't like that at all." She moved her hand to finger her waist. She held herself. "I knew he wanted to kill me. He wanted to kill me and love me at the same time."  
"Kaoru, where are you?"  
"Still at the hospital."  
"You're not. . ."  
"No. I'm not still with him. If I were, I'd probably be dead now."  
"Stay there. I'm coming to get you."  
"I'm in my car. . ."  
"I don't care!" He yelled, slamming a hand onto the desk. "Stay there. I'll find you. I'll get you. Okay?"  
She nodded, aware he couldn't see her. "Okay."  
"I'll be there soon. It's imperative you don't move."  
"I won't."  
"Promise?"  
"I promise."  
"See you soon." He hesitated before hanging up the phone, and waited for Kaoru to hang up first before he did so. He sighed as he grabbed his black leather jacket from the coat hanger by the door, and Misao poked her head from the doorway, hiding herself with a green towel.  
"Where are you going?"  
"Out."  
"When will you be back?"  
"I don't know."  
"Do you know anything?" She smiled, accidentally letting the towel droop and exposing part of her milky-white breast. He smiled grimly, remembering how he used to bathe his baby sister, her chest flat as a board and her woman hood perfectly hairless, and how those days were gone. She would show complete strangers her nakedness, but would scream if he came in while she was changing or bathing.  
"Not yet." He opened the door, the smirk still on his face.  
*****  
She had left her car a while ago and was now sitting on the curb in front of the hospital. She didn't want to stay in there anymore; it was too cramped. Kaoru sighed into the sleeves of her sweatshirt, which she had just taken off of her waist and pulled it over her. Kaoru shivered still. She would have to eat or sleep soon; she could almost feel the energy dripping out of her body. Her eyelids fell temptingly, but lifted again at the sound approaching her. It sounded like the jingle of wind chimes, but maybe a little bit heavier.  
Then Aoshi emerged from the darkness, his keys clinking under his palm.  
He shoved them in his pocket and ran to her, bowing down to her level to grasp her shoulders. "Are you okay? Where did he hit you?" He demanded, his eyes wide and scolding. Kaoru's eyes stayed nearly closed, as if she were bored.  
"I'm fine. He just hit my face."  
"I see. . ." He moved a strand of her hair away and noted the redness on her right cheek. He stroked it gently and caressed it with his finger tips. Kaoru closed her eyes, allowing the faint pleasure of his softness to caress her. Tears slipped without realization from her lashes, wetting his hand. He stared at it.  
"What. . ."  
She stopped him and grasped his hand. Kaoru took it and placed it on her heart, her pulse beating smooth and even. Her mouth was an expressionless line, but her eyes dripped with sadness.  
"Do you feel that?"  
"Yes."  
"Doesn't it feel broken?"  
"A little."  
"Can you fix that?"  
"I don't know."  
"I'm hungry." She said randomly.  
"I know a good Japanese restaurant, if you want to go."  
"Yes please."  
He smiled, allowing her to hold his hand to her chest for a while. "You said you wouldn't move." He hinted. She gave the air of a sigh, her head bowing a little.  
"I wanted to give the light a second chance."  
*****  
"More sake, please." Kaoru raised a hand to the waitress, who bowed in understanding. Aoshi held his face and smiled, his tempura getting cold after not being eaten for so long. Kaoru, however, had eaten almost three times as much as he had ordered, complete with appetizers, dessert, and drinks. Then again, he had not ordered very much, but still, she ate as if it were her last meal.  
::You shouldn't drink so much sake, that you shouldn't.::  
"You shouldn't drink so much." Aoshi stated, not quite sure why.  
"You sound like Kenshin." Kaoru retorted over the rim of the glass after another gulp. Her cheeks had grown rosy and soft-looking, and her eyes gleamed like sapphires at the bottom of a lake. She set down the glass, a curved smile on her face. She laughed.  
He raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"  
The low chuckle in her throat became a gut-bursting guffaw in seconds. She held her side as tears squeezed from the corners of her eyes. Aoshi blushed when he noticed the stares emanating from the people around him. He just couldn't figure out what was so damn funny.  
"What?" He demanded again. Kaoru's laughs subsided a bit and she wiped her eyes.  
"I just now realized," She started, her hand moving from her stomach to her lap. "That I know you better than my own husband. I even think I like you better." She smiled. Aoshi stared her down, serious.  
"Don't say that. You're going through a rough time with your husband. Now isn't the time to have doubts with him. He'll be fine. YOU'LL be fine."  
She looked at the tatami-clad floor. "No. I'm divorcing him. We are supposed to go to the attorney's office tomorrow, but I don't think that will work out. They might let him out, but I don't think they will." She stood and wobbled briefly before walking to the other side of the table to join Aoshi. Kaoru kneeled and leaned her head on his shoulder as she clutched the sleeve of his deep, blue shirt.  
Aoshi blushed a deep pink, his eyes drifting to her. "Are you sleepy?"  
She nodded faintly, placing her head in his lap. "A little. But I. . . I just hurt. I'm tired and I hurt. I'm tired in my body, I'm tired in my mind, I'm tired in my heart." She hugged his waist, cuddling into his black denim jeans. "And it hurts. I'm tired of this pain."  
He averted his gaze, trying to look busy with his meal, picking loosely. Kaoru squeezed him harder.  
"Me thinks you're embarrassed." She chuckled.  
"Oh, yea, well me thinks you've had enough. Me thinks I should take you home."  
"Me thinks you should ease up." She closed her eyes and snuggled lovingly deeper into his pants, and eventually made Aoshi jump out in surprise.  
*****  
"Yahiko. . ."  
"Sanoske. . ."  
Yahiko giggled lightly, tickling Sano's stiff, tight stomach with his fingertips, sending shivers down his spine. Sanoske felt his reach go lower through his tingling fit, and stopped momentarily, his face turning a but red. Yahiko continued traveling down to his waist. And-  
Sano grasped his hand firmly.  
"Sano-chan." Yahiko complained, pouting impatiently.  
"Kenji's here. We can't. Not until Kaoru gets back."  
"But then you'll complain that she'll hear us."  
"Maybe I will. But now I'm complaining because a four-year-old is in the next room, sleeping. Do you know how hard it would be to explain to Kenji what we were doing if he walked in?"  
Yahiko grinned. "Not very."  
Sano playfully moved Yahiko's face into the couch cushions. "Hentai baka. They have Sex Ed. In public schools for a reason you know. He shouldn't have to learn until he HAS to learn."  
Yahiko sat up, then laid himself down on Sano, his head resting on his sculpted abdomen. "Something happened today, Sano-chan. Something at the pre-school."  
Sanoske patted his satin-like hair, ruffling the layers. "What?"  
"Well, there's a little boy there named Soujiro. He seems like a pretty good kid. He smiles a lot. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him cry before. Not even when he gets hurt." Yahiko stopped to smile. "And when kids push him, he pushes back. He sees nothing wrong with it, and sometimes I don't either, but we have to teach them not to hit, you know. But he keeps on hitting them right back.  
"But lately he's been coming in late with scratches and bruises all over his arms and face. I ask him, and he says his father is teaching him a lesson. He says his dad is teaching to be stronger. I'm getting nervous."  
"Talk to the parents." Sano suggested, his other hand caressing Yahiko's spine. Yahiko smiled faintly, his eyes closing in the pleasure.  
"I thought about that, but his father just got out of the hospital. He was in a horrible fire. I hear he has burns all over. I suppose I could talk to his mother." Yahiko began to fall asleep, when Sano shook him slightly. He glared sleepily up at him. "What is it?"  
"I'm thinking of having a bath after Kaoru picks up Kenji." He looked down, grinning mischievously. "Wanna join me?"  
Yahiko laughed quietly into the corner of the white shirt that was unopened and hanging on Sano's delicately tan chest. "Do I ever."  
A shrill rang came from the phone, startling them. Sanoske reached over and picked the phone off of the hook, bringing the receiver to his ear. "Hello?"  
"Hi, Sano!"  
"Oh, Kaoru. Hey, what's up?"  
"Nothing. Hey, I was wondering if you could watch Kenji tonight? I'm not feeling very well."  
Sanoske's heart cracked as his eyes drooped in disappointment. "Sure, no problem."  
Kaoru's voice came out slightly concerned. "You sure?"  
"Yea. It's fine."  
"Okay. Thank you so much, Sano. Arigato gozaimasu."  
"Any time. Bye."  
"Bye."  
Sano placed the phone back on the charger, sulking bitterly. "Tsu." He cursed under his breath. Yahiko played with his strong muscles caringly.  
"What is it?"  
He sighed. "No bath tonight."  
*****  
"Here, let me help you."  
"Really, Aoshi, I'm fine."  
"Come on Kaoru, look at yourself. You can barely walk. Let me help you up the stairs."  
"Just. . . oh, fine." Kaoru allowed him to take her arm and wrap it around his shoulders. He took her waist and pulled her frame closer to his. Kaoru's faced flushed red, embarrassed how uncoordinated she was after drinking. She could fool an officer out of DUI if she had TRIED. Luckily, Aoshi drove her home, saying he would help get her car in the morning.  
"Here we are." Aoshi helped her up the last step and ushered her to her door. She took out her keys unsteadily and watched the door glide open, her eyes blank and empty. Her heart pounded deeply and slowly within her. Kaoru swiveled and embraced Aoshi, pressing her face to his chest. He staggered momentarily, surprised by the sudden hug, but patted her back and let his head fall, their ebony hair blending.  
That was when Aoshi felt her lips brush against his.  
He had no time to move or even realize what was happening until after Kaoru had forced a kiss, strong and passionate. Aoshi's eyes widened after he had time to take in what was happening. He pulled her away, her face confused as if she couldn't figure out what was wrong.  
"What are you doing, Kaoru!?" His voice cracked.  
"Aoshi, please. I'm in so much pain." She pulled him closer. "I hurt so bad. Please help ease the pain. Please make it go away."  
"Kaoru. . ."  
"Please. . ." She moved up and smothered him in another kiss, wilder and harder than before. Aoshi could taste the sake on her tongue, bitter- sweet and delicious. His eye softened lightly as he pulled away, but with less rejection.  
"This is not right. Your husband. . ."  
". . .Is not here." Kaoru completed abruptly for him.  
"Kaoru. . ." Aoshi tried to resist once more.  
"Aoshi. . ." Kaoru tugged his jacket and forced him into her apartment, her eyes fixed on his strong chest. He followed, dazed and puzzled. As much as he wanted to deny it and scream how juvenile it was, he missed this. He missed those middle-school and high-school nights with begotten lovers that would never return to him.  
And so, as much as he wanted to run, he closed the door behind him, and locked it.  
*****  
  
Tomoko-chan: Ooh! I'm so mean! Yesh, to many of you guys' pleasure (or pain) there will be a lemon in the next chapter. I might have to post it on my live-journal or something, thanks to FFN's new policy. Fuddruckers! Well, I might post it here. We'll see. One thing is for sure, I'll need to do some "research" on lemons to make this as amusing as possible. If you know any good, great, or oh-my-god-this-made-me-so-hot lemons, please send me a link or address along with a review! Blah. I'm so tired. I'm writing this at 11:30. Usually I'm watching Adult Swim on Cartoon Network by now, but eh. I had to work today, with many escaping animals and screaming children, mind you!  
  
I need chocolate.  
  
Me sleep now. 


	9. Chapter 8: Tainted Love

Tomoko-chan: Yea, well even though I've had this long, I STILL haven't found a good Aoshi/Kaoru lemon yet. I can't even find a good RK lemon PERIOD! *sulks* Thanks for helping, guys. You sure are good friends. . . *Sigh* Anywho, I'm going to try and write this myself. If it sucks, I'm sorry. I've never done this before. ^_^ And if I get in trouble with FFN for posting this, I'M BLAMING YOU GUYS! (I know it's not your fault if I get in trouble, but I'll need someone to be angry at if I get banned. Just don't tattle, 'Mmm 'K?') Oh, I'm going to combine it with one of my personally favorite songs, "Your Body Is a Wonderland" by John Mayer. I do not own that song, but I sure would like to learn how to play it on the guitar! Warning: This chapter contains parts from Samurai X, the time between when Kenshin was a child to when he was a teenager about to enter the Imperialist Army. If you plan on getting the DVD to this, don't read! It's a great movie, so watch it first! I would hate to ruin it for you. ^_^  
*****  
  
"Well, Mr. Himura, I can't see why we should keep you in the hospital tonight. It hasn't been proven why you had the convulsions, but I suppose it could've been from the loss of blood. We can't see any other possible answer, for persons with AIDS don't start their bodily shut-down until they reach the peak of their illness. You may stay if you wish, but after a nurse checks your stitches once more, you may leave." The doctor paused, looking at his clipboard and frowning deeper, if possible. "I would also suggest you see a counselor or therapist discussing. . ."  
"I'm not suicidal." Kenshin glared at him firmly. The doctor stared back, unconvinced.  
"Very well. I still recommend it, though. The next few years will be hard on you and your loved ones."  
"Sure." He sighed sourly. Fool, he thought within his head. He still doesn't remember. He doesn't remember what happened before this life, and the one before that even, but I do. The process was a little messy, but I know. I remember.  
I remember. I almost forgot in this life, and even through my sickness in my past life, but I still know.  
Kenshin, though through his misfortunes had remembered. He remembered being with Kaoru, and bearing Kenji with her, but not in the safety of a hospital. It had been a cold, empty room occupied only by him, Kaoru, some mysterious woman, and the echoing sound of Kaoru's screams. Yahiko and Sano had stood outside, twiddling their thumbs and drumming their fingers in impatience. He remembered the feeling of a clean kimono on his back after traveling so long with dust in his clothes. He remembered eating a huge meal with friends after going days with out human contact or food of any kind. He remembered smiling and laughing back then.  
But he also remembered the Battousai.  
He remembered the thrush, the utter thrill of his blade through a man, the blood splattering the walls of the meaningless homes and stores around them. He thought of how the blood gurgled in their throat, and how Kenshin would cut through their last hopes with a twist of his sword. The blood would fall from their mouths like sinister rain.  
::You caused it. You caused the rain to bleed.::  
And yet. . .  
::I never killed for excitement.::  
He never murdered for the amusement. He murdered because he was required to do so. The demons and angles battling in his heart were weak back then, and he was simple and loving, like a fool. He cared for everyone below him instead of watching for himself and completing his training, like he should've. Even Tomoe weakened him, in a way. Now in his future life, he remembers nothing after years of never even looking at a sword. He shuddered, disgusted at himself.  
I could have been the best, he reminisced. I was at the peak of my life, and fitter than most of Japan combined. Then Tomoe came. If only she hadn't come. Of course I loved her, I adored her. She taught me to see. But I could've been the perfect slayer. Nothing would have pierced through me. But she softened me. I was as easy to deceit as a slab of meat. My scar bleed over her. Even now I remember the sound it made pitter-patting on her auburn journal. I nearly died for her.  
Then she had to die for me. . .  
I fought in her name, but then I put down my sword, at least the sharp side. I fought not to kill, but protect.  
::You can't change the world with one sword, Himura.::  
::Even if it's the people I meet on the road or in my home, I can still protect them with one sword.::  
But still, I wanted to keep down the Battousai longing for blood within me. I married Kaoru to ease her longing, and left her with Kenji so I could go and help people with my own hands. But then I came home sick, oh so very sick, and. . .  
And Kaoru still wanted me that night.  
I wanted to protect her but. . . she just wouldn't let me.  
That's why I came back in this form, to my name. I should have been born Shinta, but no. I was born as Kenshin because I made a mistake in that part of my life. I needed to keep Kaoru away from me, or she would try and love me again. She would have died too. I don't want her to die.  
But I don't know why I was so brutal with her.  
Is it the Battousai in me again?  
Kenshin touched his newly-stitched scars, wincing slightly.  
Is he still inside of me after all of these centuries?  
*****  
  
Kaoru pressed Aoshi's shoulder blades closer to hers, deepening their kiss five fold. Her eyes closed passionately as she walked backwards into her apartment, dragging Aoshi with. She pulled the kiss apart momentarily to look into his emerald eyes. She smiled at the sight of his blush.  
"Why are you embarrassed?"  
"I don't think. . ."  
"Shh," she pressed her finger to his lips, soft and gently. "That's right. Don't think. Don't think at all. Just be here."  
She draped her arms around his neck and ruffled his shirt collar along with a section of ebony hair. His eyes were still frightened and wide, but they softened at the sight of her contentment, and eventually closed as well. He wrapped his muscle-laden arms around her slim waist and pulled her closer. She let her body slip from her at his touch, and allowed her muscles to ease softly and become as durable as silk.  
"Kaoru," Aoshi murmured. "What about Kenji?"  
"He'll be fine. Just stay here. Please."  
Aoshi had not heard a woman beg for some time. His heart cracked at the memory, but he banished it with another embrace. He buried his face into Kaoru's waterfall of black hair, disappearing into its mystic beauty. With his nose thoroughly covered, he inhaled, taking in the deep scent with a passion unbeknown to him. God, his mind wandered, her hair smells like grass. Perfumed grass.  
Kaoru groped Aoshi's back, his shirt crinkling at the sweaty, firm tug of her fingers. He took this as a sub-conscious hint on her part, and allowed his own sturdy hands to slide up her back under her thin tank top. They backed against the nearby entertainment center, Kaoru's spine cushioned by his hand, which tugged relentlessly at the bra buckles. She offered support as she grasped the corner of the fake wooden center, her other arm wrapped around Aoshi's back. With a flip of the fingers, a small snap was heard, and Kaoru's cleavage drooped. He smiled in satisfaction, his palm meandering over her skin until his fingers wrapped around her milky-white breast. Very gently, he squeezed.  
Kaoru flinched in an ill combination of pleasure and pain, her hand crushing upon the 'On' button to the stereo. It whirled mechanically for a moment, then a smooth acoustic melody filled the atmosphere.  
She smiled weakly in attempts to hide the faint tears which slid down her flawless skin. Aoshi's thumb caught it, pushing up her cheek, making her smile a little stronger. Kaoru gave up her support and dropped both hands to his belt buckle. Her smooth, sculpted fingers seemed to glide easily over each groove until the buckle snapped. She laughed impulsively in amusement.  
::We've got a big afternoon::  
Aoshi in turn withdrew his hand from her face and began to fumble with the button and zipper to her pants. They fell easily, revealing plain cotton panties, a few holes by the thigh and pubic area, where occasional tuffs of hair peeked through. He pulled harshly and the denim jeans fell to her ankles.  
::You've got this room for two::  
He nearly gasped at the sight of her silky legs laminated in the moonlight, shining so beautifully in creamy glory that curved smoothly like milk. Kaoru blushed at his wonder, her smile slipping from her lips. Without his notice, she removed his belt and let it fall carelessly to the floor before unbuttoning his own pants. He was wearing deep green boxers that fell a bit at his crotch. Kaoru didn't mind; they would be gone soon anyways.  
::One thing now left to do::  
Aoshi raised his arms again and pulled the tank top over her head, her ebony hair floating gracefully to her buttocks. Kaoru herself was unbuttoning Aoshi's shirt, each move of her hand lifting his anxiousness. Pulling, nearly ripping, off the shirt, she caressed his many hard, strong stomach muscles. Her eyes widened at the sight of the tan perfection before her, and another tear fell to the ground.  
::Discover me, discovering you::  
Sighting her tears, he took her head in his hands, fingers intertwining with locks of raven glory, and pressed her face into his chest, muffling the sobs. Kaoru embraced him, squeezing abnormally strong on his torso, tear drifting into the crevasse of her smile.  
"I've missed this. . ." She hummed, the sadness caught in her throat.  
"I've missed you." Aoshi patted her silky curls tenderly.  
::One mile to every inch::  
He gently swiveled her to the direction of the couch and laid her slender frame upon it. Her fingers gripped loosely at the leathery side, puzzled by his actions. Facing the wall, and exposing his still shirt-clad back, he removed his pants, then his boxers. Kaoru felt the fear rise in her stomach, mixing dangerously with the lust in her heart. Aoshi peeked over his shoulder, grinning. Kaoru watched dazed, unaware that she herself was pulling down her own panties. She didn't even notice until she was about to look down upon him, when she caught herself and stared at the floor instead. There, her panties stared up at her, the sanitary napkin looming behind them. Kaoru gasped shyly, and looked up at Aoshi in embarrassment. She didn't even make it to his stomach.  
"Oh, my. . ." She nearly erupted in child-like giggles. His member seemed so much larger in comparison with Kenshin; it was like holding a flea next to an elephant. She covered her mouth, blushing like a school girl after her first kiss. Aoshi felt a laugh rise in his mouth as well, but morphed it into a clever smirk.  
::Your skin like porcelain  
One pair of candy lips and  
Your bubble-gum tongue::  
Aoshi took a step, and seemed to slide the rest of the distance to Kaoru. Her face grew hot in realization when his nose touched hers. She had never felt so CLOSE to another person, even with Kenshin. Aoshi's eyes were steady and dark, like a deep forest.  
"Kaoru, I'm giving you one more chance. From here on, I won't be able to stop myself. But I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to, or anything that you think is wrong. So please, answer me, and look me in the eye." He glared. "Do you want this?"  
An unexpected lump of guilt gathered in her mouth like bile, sour, hot and rushing. She averted her gaze, the last of many tears fleeing from her cheeks, heated with the fever of choice. Did she want it? Of course; she almost needed it. Was it right? That was the true question. Kenshin cheated on her. That's why she divorced him (or will be, tomorrow, she concluded). But why would she sink to such a low level to satisfy this hunger? She would be no better then Kenshin.  
But HE was better than Kenshin. He cared for her, and took her opinion into his heart. Where Kenshin would brush her aside like a whisk of paper, Aoshi would hold it, and treat her like a pallet for his next masterpiece. His words flowed like water and washed away her doubts in places where Kenshin would stay silent, like a dammed up river.  
Tears choked her thoughts. "I. . . I do. . ."  
Her heart ached with rekindled passion. It was as if she were repeating her wedding vows to this man. She raised her hand to his neck, spreading his midnight hair between her finger tips, and brought their lips together.  
::And if you want love, we'll make it::  
Aoshi kissed back, his tongue ravishing against hers. Holding her head gently, he moved her frames from the couch to the floor. With a whisk of his fingers, he pulled the near-by magenta blanket over their naked bodies, the tips of his bangs tickling Kaoru's face.  
::Swimming a deep sea of blankets::  
Kaoru lifted her leg, stroking Aoshi's thigh with her toes. She closed her eyes, awaiting his response. Allowing his head to fall to her chest, his mouth caressed the valley between her breasts. Gently planting kisses along the silky mounds, his lips wandered like a hungry infant, desiring the milk within his mother's glory. Eventually, Aoshi locked onto her nipple and began suckling, his teeth occasionally scrapping against the tender tissue.  
"Aoshi. . ." Kaoru moaned, pushing his shoulders.  
::Take all you big plans and break 'em::  
"What?" He paused, looking at her over the milky mountains that separated them. "Do you want me to stop?"  
::This is bound to be why. . .::  
"No," She begged, hugging him closer. "No, don't ever stop."  
::Your body is a wonderland. . .  
Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands)  
Your body is a wonderland. . .::  
Aoshi moved his head to the space between her head and shoulders. He mouthed her ear tenderly in the crook of her neck, his hand moving to her breast and cupping it while his middle finger glided over her hardened nipple. His hands are so warm, she confessed mentally through her spasms of pleasure. She felt their ebony hair blending like magic, becoming one with each other.  
::Something bounds the way the hair falls in your face::  
Kaoru felt his manhood pressing up against her leg, angered and impatient. "Go ahead," she whispered without thinking.  
"Hm?" Aoshi's voice came out muffled by the layers of hair by his mouth. Kaoru fingered the hair at the base of his head with one hand while the other one began to linger dangerously close to. . .  
"Kaoru!" Aoshi suddenly exclaimed, his head popping up. She giggled.  
"I said go ahead. I'm ready for you. Please don't make me wait anymore." Her fingertips still lingered on him even after they left. Aoshi wished they hadn't. Her hands made him feel like he was being wrapped in silk. Silk that slid over him slowly and temptingly.  
::I love the shape you take when crawling towards the pillow case::  
He moved his member into her, her hairs brushing softly against his tip, making him shiver. Kaoru let her arms fall restlessly by her waves of raven hair, which was spread out wildly over the carpet. She watched him in virgin-like wonder, his own forest eyes gleaming with a friendly hue upon her, a sad smile on his face. She felt him push into her, and with a satisfied whimper, she closed her eyes again.  
"More," She pleaded.  
"Where?"  
"Right there, please. More. . ."  
::You tell me where to go, and though I may leave to find it. . .::  
He nearly laughed. He thrust into her again, sending a rush of trembles through her body. "Right there?" He inquired, a smug smile on his face. A slick of sweat began to bead her forehead from the body heat. She nodded, breathless.  
::I'll never let your head hit the bed with out my hand behind it::  
Aoshi brushed away a mess of bangs from her face, her perspiration mixing with his own. His pale cheeks began to gain color as the heated fever rushed to them. Kaoru's legs wrapped around his, squeezing tightly with intense pleasure.  
::You want love? We'll make it  
Swimming a deep sea of blankets  
Take all your big plans, and break 'em  
This is bound to be why. . .::  
"Please, Aoshi, don't make me wait anymore. I can't bare it." She hissed through clenched teeth, bound by the great emotions surrounding her. Aoshi moved one of his hands to one of hers, and intertwined their fingers. She squeezed harshly, and he thrust into her.  
"Ah!"  
::Your body is a wonderland. . .  
Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands)  
Your body is a wonderland. . .::  
A burst of tears rose to her eyes, but a soft smile clung to her lips, hanging on dearly. "More," she begged, squeezing his hand harder. He took his other hand and slid it under her spine, causing her to arch her back. He thrust again, grunting lightly, and squeezed her hand in return. Kaoru's legs unraveled from Aoshi's, pounding onto the floor from the rapture.  
::Damn, baby::  
"Damn," Aoshi grunted again, pushing into her again. He was getting tired, he realized, the sweat dripping into his eyes. No, God, please, he pleaded mentally. Give me more strength. Just a little more for her.  
::You frustrate me::  
Kaoru flopped a lifeless arm onto the carpet, and Aoshi felt her go a little limp. He thrust again, and her once weak fingers seized and clawed into the carpet. She felt the pleasure within her rising, but she was so tired. Droplets of sweat fell from her forehead into her flowing hair that spread out onto the floor like a black fan.  
::I know you're mine, all mine, all mine  
But you look so good, it hurts sometimes::  
They gazed at each other, lost in their eyes. Aoshi brushed away a strand of her midnight hair that was stuck to her cheek with sweat. "You're so beautiful, Kaoru." He whispered. Her face grew even hotter as tears gathered in her throat. "You're so gorgeous I can't stand it." He continued, smiling weakly.  
Kenshin had never said such a thing to her.  
::Your body is a wonderland. . .  
Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands)  
Your body is a wonderland. . .::  
Tears spilled onto her cheeks, feeling like blissful miracles upon her heated face. Aoshi kissed her forehead, his lips brushing softly against her skin tenderly before pushing himself into her one last time. She closed her eyes contently, feeling as his juices poured into her, slow and gently, as if they didn't want to hurt her either. Kaoru moved her sweaty palm from Aoshi's hand and wrapped her arms around him in embrace.  
::I'll never slip for you again  
Now there's no reason  
I have enough of this love in my hands  
To last all season  
All season 'round  
Bup-bup-bup  
Badda-bum-bada  
Bup-bup-bup  
Badda-bum-a::  
"I love you, Aoshi."  
"I love, Kaoru."  
*****  
  
Sanoske and Yahiko stared at each other, restraining themselves by plastering smiles over their bursting mouths. No more groans or bumps on the floor came through their ceiling, so they presumed it safe. They exploded in a fit a giggles, laughing their dark-haired heads off.  
"Well, I bet Kaoru-chan's feeling much better now!"  
"I think so too. I think she just had a little itch. I pray it's thoroughly scratched; I was afraid Kenji would wake up from all of the noise."  
"That's some fuckin' harsh prescription for such a stupid thing as an itch." Sano chuckled, staring at the ceiling. "I can tell you that much."  
*****  
  
"Mr. Himura, you have a visitor."  
The nurse's head bobbed in like a ping-pong ball. Kenshin hardly flinched at the surprise outburst. He had been debating whether or not he should eat the hospital food in front of him or not. He had sampled the cookie, which had looked appetizing enough, but very quickly spat it out in disgust. If he couldn't eat the cookie (which looked like the tastiest thing there) how could he eat any of the other foods that didn't look half as good? He glared up from his concentration, sending a fit of shivers down the nurse's spine.  
"Is it a female, black hair, blue eyes?"  
"W-why yes. . ." The nurse was tempted to back away from the door. She'd heard rumors in the coffee room that this man's eyes could turn into a swift gold and freeze you right there on the spot with fear. How he knew who his visitor was, she couldn't fathom.  
"Is her hair short, or long?"  
"Oh, um, short, with a long ponytail." She exhaled, glad he wasn't completely psychic. His eyes perked up as one of beautiful smile graced his lips. He seemed to transform before her eyes.  
"Fantastic. Send her in."  
The nurse nodded and ran away scurrying. Kenshin sighed happily while moving the un-judged food onto the nightstand. He wouldn't have to decide its fate today; he was hitting Burger King before going with Misao. He'd already changed into his jeans, and was removing the pale-green hospital dress when Misao walked in, her hair a shiny wet from her shower.  
"Hey," His voice was muffled by the papery clothing. She blushed for an un-known reason, and averted her gaze to the ground.  
"Hi."  
"Come to give me a ride?" He reached for a shirt that Misao had brought for him earlier. She nodded solemnly, looking nearly ashamed of something. He paused, letting the shirt hang in his palm at his side. He crossed over to her, about to place a hand on her back in comfort. "What's wrong?"  
He felt her quiver under his touch. "N-nothing. . ." she whispered, cringing.  
"Tell me." He gave her shoulder an assertive squeeze.  
"I. . ." She had to force it from herself. "I've been remembering these things. . ."  
Kenshin's eyes perked again in concern. "What things?"  
"Thing about you, me, Aoshi, and. . ." She trailed off, uncertain. "And I think your wife and son. There are these two men and a woman I don't know, but I've been seeing things from a long time ago." A tear fell onto the blinding linoleum tile. She sputtered a sob in attempts to laugh nervously. "But they're not from yesterday, or a month ago, or years ago. They're from DECADES ago." Misao sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "Silly, ne? I must sound crazy."  
Suddenly, she felt Kenshin swivel her around and lock her in a tight embrace. Her words fled her, leaving her helpless to his unexpected hug. He patted her back tenderly, like a brother.  
"You remembered."  
*****  
  
He didn't wear a condom.  
Kaoru hadn't woken up yet, but the thought crashed in her mind clearly and legibly. Stupid, stupid, stupid! She cursed herself mentally. She'd been itching to fuck him so badly, she didn't even give it a second thought. Stupid, stupid, stupid. No protection, no birth control, nothing. Kaoru no baka, she beat herself.  
If she got pregnant. . .  
She couldn't even imagine what would happen to her, or Kenji. Sure, Aoshi seemed nice enough, and sure he was a great fuck, but he was probably gone right now, giving an excuse to his wife why he was late. She didn't have the time, money, or room to have a baby. And what if he had AIDS, like Kenshin's whore? She didn't ask or do anything but screw the god damn bastard!  
Kaoru could only pray that God had nothing better to do than re- direct Aoshi Shinomori's sperm.  
*****  
  
Tomoko-chan: Ungh, sorry this took so fuckin' long. I just had NO ideas for this one. Blah. . . Anywho, please comment on this (no flames, god dammit!) and give some constructive criticism. This was my first lemon, so be gentle. Also, I've started two new fanfics: and Inuyasha one, and a Kingdom Hearts one. Hikari has been up for a while, but no one has commented. Please save Hikari and grace it with a review! Just One Night, Gimme Just One Night, however, is brand new. Its survival depends on you!  
  
NOTE: More new fanfics will be created, finished, and perfected for a while. Please be patient with updates.  
  
Ja ne! ^_^ 


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